Results 541-560 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Northern Ireland Issues. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 28: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the outcome of his meeting on 1 February 2005 with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair. [3495/05]

Northern Ireland Issues. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 29: To ask the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the outcome of his meeting with members of the International Monitoring Committee on 31 January 2005. [3496/05]

Northern Ireland Issues. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: May I return to the ghoulish murder of Robert McCartney? The Taoiseach seemed to suggest that although the information in the public domain is that this savage killing was carried out by members of the republican movement, they were not on a mission sanctioned by the republican movement. Is that not the point, that this type of thuggish behaviour is being used to control communities in...

Northern Ireland Issues. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: Does the Taoiseach expect any evolution in this impasse, although I do not think one can have evolution in an impasse? Are there likely to be any developments between now and the British general election? How does the Taoiseach see the way forward? In particular, will he give a commitment to the House that he will involve the SDLP more centrally from here on? He is as familiar as I am, or...

Leaders' Questions. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: Just when we had grown accustomed to getting Christmas cards from the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, we will have to prepare for Valentine's cards as well. I am not sure the system will be able to cope with that. Will the Taoiseach outline to the House honestly whether he has any regrets about appointing the Tánaiste, Deputy Harney, as Minister for Health and Children? She came into the...

Leaders' Questions. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: If it is such a short Bill, why is it taking such a long time to emerge? It has nothing to do with the provision of 30,000 traditional medical cards. What is the point in repeating statistics? More than 8,000 fewer people have medical cards and there is no sign of the Tánaiste changing that. How can the Taoiseach say this Minister is performing? She lost the chief executive of the Health...

Order of Business. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: Has the Progressive Democrats Party withdrawn its objections to the Campus Stadium Ireland Bill and when will it be before the House?

Issue of Writ: Kildare North By-election. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to share time with Deputy Stagg. I welcome the last-minute conversion of the Government parties to the necessity of running these two by-elections now. I have no idea what all the fuss was about or why such bogus excuses were advanced for not running the elections. I heard the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, on radio today. He reminded me...

Issue of Writ: Kildare North By-election. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: I am glad that they have now come around to our view. I join with the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, in wishing former Deputy Charlie McCreevy well. I have no idea what he means when he says that Mr. McCreevy made such an impact that it is a shame he is gone. We did not send him anywhere; it was the Government that shafted him. If he were making such an impact, why did you send him to...

Issue of Writ: Kildare North By-election. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: He was the best thing that ever happened to us on this side of the House.

Issue of Writ: Kildare North By-election. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: Why they wanted to exile him I do not know. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, says he is confident the Government benches will produce a victory in Kildare. To do that, the Minister will first have to produce a candidate. If he follows the pattern of the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, in Meath and gets the wrong candidate the first time,...

Issue of Writ: Kildare North By-election. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: ——in time for polling day.

Issue of Writ: Kildare North By-election. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: I welcome the opportunity to promote the credentials of our young candidate, Councillor Paddy McNamara, who was elected at the top of the poll in his area. He is a lecturer dedicated to public service. The only reason the Government parties did not make their minds up until this morning is that they did not want to confront the people, given their experience on the last occasion. It is...

Issue of Writ: Meath By-election. (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy Johnny Brady is not bad.

Written Answers — Road Signage: Road Signage (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 153: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has instructed local authorities to ensure that appropriate low speed limits are observed at schools and other high risk areas following the changeover to metric speed limits; the reason such low limits were not in place at the time of the changeover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4760/05]

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: I introduced a Bill on it but it was voted down.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to raise with the Taoiseach a matter relating to the programme for Government. As we all know, that agreement was entered into after the election so we are not talking about election promises. The Taoiseach stated in the programme for Government: We will continue to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in our schools. Over the next five years we will progressively introduce maximum class...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: The Taoiseach is right. I might well agree with him but all I am doing is pointing to the programme for Government that he agreed with the Progressive Democrats. The Taoiseach does not agree with it. He gave a clear commitment that he would bring class size below the international best practice guideline of 20:1 within five years. That was a Government agreement. Whether I agree with the...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: Does the programme for Government stand under the new Minister for Education and Science? Her Department has quite properly in recent years taken sex education seriously but, nonetheless, it appears to be entirely taken aback when three or four years after young couples buy homes in a new housing estate, children appear. Only when the children are four years of age does discussion begin on...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Pat Rabbitte: ——but I still disagree that it is acceptable for 100,000 primary school children to be in classes of between 30 and 39 in whatever area of the country they happen to be located.