Results 5,741-5,760 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

David Norris: I welcome the Minister of State but I also pay tribute to Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú. There is no question or doubt that he has been a sterling and valuable champion of human rights, and not always in the easiest times. He certainly did put his head above the parapet. As regards the question of the Government's adamant refusal to include human rights in this legislation, that is less and...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

David Norris: It was charity, yes. That was an excellent intervention by the Cathaoirleach. My God, but there is wit in the Chair tonight. However, I wonder just how visible they should be and people have a right to know just who is collecting. I live on the other side of the river, not too far away. I walk down to the Oireachtas and sometimes there are eight to ten very good registered charities in...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

David Norris: It could require the print to be clearly visible.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

David Norris: I beg your pardon.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

David Norris: I withdraw my protest.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear. Well said.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: On a point of order, that surely demonstrates a systemic failure in the Order of Business and one which you should address, a Chathaoirligh.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: We get a backlog every day. These are matters that are supposed to be immediately and directly relevant but they may have lost their relevance. It is a failure of the system and I appeal to the Cathaoirleach to address it.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: No. The time could be extended properly and you could do what I suggested yesterday which was to have a rolling debate on the economy.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: I sympathise with the Cathaoirleach's situation with regard to the Order of Business. I made a suggestion yesterday that received widespread support from both sides of the House, namely, that we should have a special rolling debate on the economy. The Leader replied this was something to be taken up with the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I asked my representative on that committee...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: It looks now as if the advice given was either wrong or corrupt. I wish to know something about the lawyers in question and their status, about the advice they gave, why they gave it and whether it was good, bad, indifferent, or, indeed, corrupt. We need a real debate on the economy. Today we hear that Bord Gáis is moving into the provision of electricity. Everybody is delighted because...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: The gas board goes in instead. We are attacking the fundamentals on which the wellbeing of this State originated, with people such as Lemass and Whitaker and the establishment of the semi-State bodies, Bord na Móna, Bord Gáis, the ESB and so on. We were always told about competition. Senator Leyden is quite right. We privatised Aer Lingus. What happened? Now we do not service our own...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: He did not invest one penny in it and flogged it off to an Australian pension fund. Let us look at competition. I voted against the groceries order. We were told prices would go down but they went up. All was a matter of competition. Let us not bow down before this shibboleth. I say to the Leader, with the greatest respect, that he is not Tommy Dando. There is no sunny side of this...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: We are to have statements on the Middle East. That is not what I requested. I asked for the passage of a motion that was passed unanimously a week ago by all members of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. It proposed a war crimes investigation into the situation in Gaza. I will not press this vote if the Leader will be kind enough to give me an assurance that this will not replace that...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: No, I beg the Cathaoirleach's pardon and thank him for his assistance. I suggested that we take instead the motion in my name about the war crimes tribunal in Gaza.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Yes, it is No. 32 which is the exact one passed by the committee.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Well said.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear.