Results 5,201-5,220 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 3: In page 4, subsection (1), to delete lines 21 to 33. We are getting into the real meat of the Bill, namely, the definition of cluster munitions. The House will be told that there can be no variations on the treaty and so on. As I stated, the Bill is welcome, but it bans only some cluster munitions. I do not accept that anything under ten explosive submunitions is...

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: The Senator should come over.

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: Good woman.

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: Or even on all cluster bombs. We are exempting such bombs.

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I salute the Irish delegation involved in the negotiations at Croke Park in securing acceptance of the additional provision in regard to what may be dropped from aircraft. I recall the event; it was a good day. Perhaps, the Minister of State will give us some further information — I completely understand if he does not have this...

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: Is that all?

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: The use of fleshettes, tiny particles dropped from aircraft, by the Israelis and others had a damaging effect on people. The Minister of State is saying chaff is made up only of material to prevent radar detection.

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: That is fine. I accept the Minister's word and I feel reassured on that point. In regard to the use of the phrase "unacceptable level of harm", I do not believe there is any level of harm or damage that is acceptable. I welcome the fact that the level of acceptability is dropping. I recall a Tory Minister who when dealing with Northern Ireland got into terrible trouble for saying that we...

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: I beg the Minister's pardon; I do not wish to put words in his mouth.

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: The Bill provides for a ban on a significant number of munitions that could be legitimately described as cluster munitions but it continues to permit the use of some that are capable of being legitimately described as cluster munitions. A bunch of nine is a cluster.

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: I accept the good intentions and practice of the Ministers involved and their advisers. The view of the House clearly is that these are unacceptable weapons. Most people, including those on the Government side, would accept that although they have been defined as being beyond the scope of cluster munitions, to any ordinary person they clearly are cluster munitions and they have at least...

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: It is not only the view held by someone from that position. One can come from a less extreme position and still find this unacceptable. Senators Cummins and Ormonde have indicated their difficulties and I do not believe either of them are absolutist in a pacifist sense and neither am I.

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: No. I welcome the Minister of State's response. I feel very strongly about this issue and my colleagues on all sides of the House, including on the Government side, also feel strongly about it, but I am not sure that a vote at this point would be helpful. The Minister of State has interpreted correctly the feeling of all Members on this, namely, that we want to encourage these efforts and...

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 4: In page 4, subsection (1), line 36, after "Schedule 1" to insert the following: ", but Article 21(3) of the said Convention may not be relied on by the State". This is a critical amendment. I can anticipate the answers I will get, which would not be difficult since I read the debate and also heard the Minister of State speak on Second Stage. It is abhorrent that,...

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: The water has been pretty well muddied here. I will not press amendment No. 4 for the reasons that have been accepted by my colleagues, but I will press amendment No. 7. It simply states that the Defence Forces would be prohibited from participating in military operations with people who use cluster munitions, which are abhorrent. That does not preclude a rescue mission. There is a great...

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 6: In page 6, subsection (3), between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: "(a) is committed by an Irish citizen or gives rise to injury to or death of an Irish citizen,".

Seanad: Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Nov 2008)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 7: In page 6, before section 7, to insert the following new section: "7.—The Defence Forces are prohibited from participating in military operations where cluster munitions will be used with the exception of training for clearing purposes.".

Seanad: FÁS: Statements (2 Dec 2008)

David Norris: Thank you, a Chathaoirligh. I may not need all that time, but then I frequently say that and find I have not quite finished within the time. This is an important debate. My colleague and friend, Senator Ross, has called for this debate over a considerable period of years. In some instances I have agreed with him, in particular some years ago when he proposed, and I seconded, a motion to...

Seanad: FÁS: Statements (2 Dec 2008)

David Norris: No, I beg the Senator's pardon. He is showing his novelty in this House.

Seanad: FÁS: Statements (2 Dec 2008)

David Norris: I am elected by the votes of a constituency that has 55,000 wonderfully qualified degree holding Irish citizens unlike the Senator who fishes around in a measly little pond of 1,000 votes with the others.