Results 561-580 of 2,017 for speaker:Paul Bradford

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Paul Bradford: I have listened with interest to the Minister. I concede amendment No. 41 will oblige the authority to consider the quality of services, such as subtitling, provided by broadcasters and report on them. However, where is our imprint in the sense of imposing on the authority an obligation to mark and ensure progress? It is okay for the authority to consider the quality of services and inform...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Paul Bradford: I, too, support the amendments in a general fashion. In particular, the issue of the heritage channel has been discussed previously on Second and Committee Stages. It would allow an opportunity for production and for film-makers to respond to an obviously growing market. Frequently, we debate the promotion of the Irish language and the way it is taught at school level. We remark often that...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Paul Bradford: I am sounding like our dear Leader. I know where Senator O'Toole is coming from. I recall raising the concept of older people and people over 65 with the Minister for Social and Family Affairs five or six years ago. I must take full credit for this as my only political achievement over 20 years, having the term old age pension taken out of the directory of social welfare and replaced by...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Paul Bradford: I formally second amendment No. 108.

Seanad: OECD Report on Integrated Public Service Reform: Statements (2 Jul 2008)

Paul Bradford: I thank Senator O'Malley for taking the Chair. I had not intended to speak on this motion but I heard her contribution and that of the previous speaker and now wish to state a few words on public service reform. I must concede to the Minister of State that I am not an expert on the report. However, we have had discourse on public service reform and pay during recent months and we all have...

Seanad: OECD Report on Integrated Public Service Reform: Statements (2 Jul 2008)

Paul Bradford: Provision was made on the Order of Business for questions from party spokespersons. Some of the spokespersons are not present so is it agreed that questions can be taken from substitute spokespersons? Agreed. Are there questions for the Minister of State?

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2008)

Paul Bradford: I support the request for a substantive question and answer session during our debate on the economy as it would be very helpful. One fact we have had to deal with as public representatives in our own constituencies over the past number of months arises from the significant number of additional people who are unemployed. Senator Fitzgerald indicated that 40,000 or so people have become...

Seanad: Economic Situation: Statements (30 Sep 2008)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the opportunity to speak in this important debate even though it must be conceded that the developments in the past 24 hours have shifted the debate from a broader economic statement to a preview of the legislation the Government is due to bring forward in the next hour or two and the impact of that legislation. I presume we will have an opportunity in the coming hours to speak on...

Seanad: Water Quality (30 Sep 2008)

Paul Bradford: I thank the Cathaoirleach for providing me with the opportunity to raise with the Minister of State this evening the matter of the recent problem in the town of Mallow, in which a public water supply was deemed to be dangerous from a health perspective due to excessive quantities of lead. The problem was detected last Friday when Cork County Council, as part of its ongoing monitoring work,...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Paul Bradford: I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on this important legislation. Housing legislation is always very interesting from a policy perspective, because it is one of the few areas of Government policy where, even with limited resources, different and interesting political and economic choices can be made. A significant difference can be made to the livelihood of people if positive...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Paul Bradford: In 1987, he introduced a progressive tenant purchase scheme which made a difference. Generous discounts were made available to local authority tenants who wished to purchase their homes and thousands of them chose to do so. I was an advocate and fan of the scheme which lasted until 1989 because the substantial discount available offered tenants value for money. The tenant purchase scheme...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (8 Oct 2008)

Paul Bradford: When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2008)

Paul Bradford: The Cathaoirleach is calling for questions and I have one for the Leader. What is happening with the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008? We on this side have been seeking information on it for many months. We have had debates on the proper provision for the care of the elderly. The Bill was flagged and it has been published, but we are now getting indications that it may not be taken...

Seanad: Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Statements (9 Oct 2008)

Paul Bradford: I am pleased to speak on this important issue, which I presume will affect many more people in the future. I welcome the Minister, Deputy Hanafin. I am not sure whether it is her first occasion to attend in her capacity as Minister for Social and Family Affairs. I appreciate that she will face many challenges, budgetary and other, in the next 12 months. I look forward to hearing more from...

Seanad: Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Statements (9 Oct 2008)

Paul Bradford: It is the story of my life.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Oct 2008)

Paul Bradford: I support what was said by Senator Coffey regarding a debate on housing and planning. I noted with satisfaction last week the report from the EU indicating that the rule on local use, only applied by some local authorities, may be deemed illegal. This would be of great advantage to those of us who advocate the entitlement to build and live in rural Ireland. I look forward to the debate and...

Seanad: Volunteering in Irish Society: Statements (14 Oct 2008)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This is a topic we understand and support and in which we are all involved to some degree. When I say volunteering should be voluntary, I mean we do not need over-prescription or legislation. Neither do we need a plethora of groups and organisations that prescribe how to be a volunteer. Volunteering and voluntary work should come from the...

Seanad: Volunteering in Irish Society: Statements (14 Oct 2008)

Paul Bradford: I thank the Senator. The GAA is a typical organisation where the code of voluntary work is at its best and strongest and produces enormous benefits for the community. This is the sort of volunteerism we must try to support and encourage. The Minister of State did not refer to the difficulty caused to clubs, communities, sporting organisations and small community hall projects with regard to...

Seanad: Unemployment Levels: Statements (15 Oct 2008)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I am grateful for the opportunity to debate the issue of unemployment and, more important, job creation. It is appropriate that we are taking this debate on the same day as we take statements on the budget because they are very much interlinked. While the focus of yesterday's budget debate was the immediate financial crisis facing the country...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2009: Statements (15 Oct 2008)

Paul Bradford: I welcome this opportunity to contribute to this debate. I welcome Senator Harris back to the House following his recent illness. I genuinely welcome him back to the state of independence which he had enjoyed up to 12 months ago. That was an outstanding contribution by him; it was fearless, brave and informative. However, regarding his comments concerning the Opposition parties, in...