Results 581-600 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: I upheld the sovereignty of the House.

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: The background to the Bill is quite clear. Ireland is one of the ten founding signatories to the European Convention on Human Rights. As we had the first case, the Lawless case, to be heard in Strasbourg, we have had a long period of involvement. However, I can only give the most guarded welcome to the Bill, as it is quite clear it takes a minimalist approach. We are doing the least amount...

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Not really. It is only on moral issues that we disagree.

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: I got nothing. Not one cent.

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Can they appeal the amount?

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: That is the problem.

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Ours is weaker in some respects.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: I have just a few comments to make on the Bill. I welcome it in general but note that it is really a kind of stop-gap measure. The Minister has very engagingly acknowledged this. I welcome the Minister's statement that one of the commission's recommendations is a codification of the intoxicating liquor code currently spread across many statutes. This means, in other words, consolidating and...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: It was in shorthand. Recently the Garda, the civic authorities and neighbours objected to a place near where I live, The Temple. I will not sully the record of the House with the descriptions of the behaviour outside as a result of the excessive drinking. The pub was repeatedly granted its licence. How did this happen? The centre of Dublin is over-endowed with these enormous aircraft hangars...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: No, I do not. The Acting Chairman would like me to conclude. I beg her pardon and will conclude if I may just finish this paragraph.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Almost five minutes? Again, I was right. It is so unnerving. I thank the Acting Chairman for that reminder. People are reluctant to go to court, particularly in a situation where sexual orientation is involved, even though we have changed the law and so on. Perhaps because I have got older and more used to this, I am surprised that many young people would hesitate going into open court in the...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Splendid. I am all in favour. We could have had a real burst with St. Anthony out in Fairview. Seriously, it brings us all into contempt if we say that we are having a special exemption with no special quality to that occasion, meaning that we have 30 or so in a month. I know that has happened and I do not think it should.

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Will they be made to walk a straight line?

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: I am the one who does not have a Cambridge accent.

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: As always, it has been fun to hear the political parties knocking spots off each other. I speak as an Independent who is hors de combat in this respect. I listened with some amusement from my office to Joe O'Toole's contribution.

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: What did I call him?

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Did I really? What frightful lèse majesté. I do not imagine that anyone has been guilty of such a lapse in the House for decades. I apologise humbly to the Cathaoirleach. Senator O'Toole seems to have had an attack of political correctness. He bewailed the political correctness of the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, then came to the House and supported this motion. I have my doubts about the...

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: It is absurd. If one starts this type of strict accounting practice and strip Ministers of their motorcars and so forth, how will they function efficiently and adequately as Ministers of the State and servants of the people? I like to have happy, comfortable, efficient and well paid servants about the place. We should treat our Ministers as the servants they are and let them keep their motor cars.

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: I thank the Senator for telling me. I was not quite sure what I said but now I understand it perfectly.

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Jun 2003)

David Norris: I fully support Senator Ryan's remarks about the metro. We had a meeting of the Joint Committee on Transport this morning which was addressed by Professor Melis, the man responsible for constructing the undergound in Madrid. It is important that we look at it again because it was this House, on foot of an amendment of mine, that initiated the whole question of the metro. We have in the Leader...