Results 5,981-6,000 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

David Norris: Will the Leader repeat that?

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

David Norris: Surely students should deserve the mark they are awarded.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

David Norris: I must protest at the Leader's proposal. As a former teacher, I say that this proposal is madness. It will drive down academic standards. We will be a laughing stock.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

David Norris: The proposal he has made is absurd.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

David Norris: So can I. I have given jobs in at least two areas.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

David Norris: I thank Senator Coffey for sharing time with me and I welcome the Minister to the House. It is very appropriate he should be here as he was chair of the committee and I sat at the first meeting. I do not agree with my colleague, Senator O'Toole, as I do not think anything very much will be done. The Minister will recollect that the first item on the agenda, this scoping nonsense, was an...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

David Norris: With the way in which Governments have run the finances for years, we could not be any worse at the very least. I think we should certainly look at this idea. I am not taking any lessons about democracy from either side of this House. I have sat in this House when every single one of the named officers of this House had been rejected at least once, and several of them twice, by the...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

David Norris: The amendment refers to a scoping review, into another committee for a look at it and we will circulate a report. I would be very surprised. The Irish people will want the abolition of the Seanad. Pat Kenny thought he had got an interesting result on the radio today. If he had asked, "Do you want Dáil Éireann to be abolished?", there would have been a 100% chorus saying, "Get rid of them".

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2009)

David Norris: I ask for a debate on the Corrib gas field. I do so in light of my considerable concern at the jailing of Ms Maura Harrington and the process which led to it. A former Minister of the Government gave this field away for nothing. The Minister concerned was subsequently jailed in the wake of a corruption scandal. He gave it away to Shell, one of the worst polluters and one of the most avid...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2009)

David Norris: She does not believe in her idealism because she witnessed her enjoyment of the public limelight. I wonder about the qualifications - this is not a judicial matter. She then referred Ms. Harrington for psychiatric examination in addition to jailing her for 28 days. Are we returning to eastern Europe? Is it an attempt to use psychiatry to control political expression? This is terribly...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2009)

David Norris: I had my face slapped and the person did not go to jail for 28 days. I am asking for a debate so we can ventilate all these matters. I congratulate the Green Party. At its conference the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, said he is attempting to ensure Ireland withdraws from the European Defence Agency. I ask for a debate on this matter. I...

Seanad: Health Services (12 Mar 2009)

David Norris: I welcome the Minister of State to the House, particularly because we have a good Laois man in charge of this debate.

Seanad: Health Services (12 Mar 2009)

David Norris: It refers to the question of the provision of treatment facilities and services for the children in our community. In referring to our community, I mean the national rather than Dublin community. In the old days there were at least three principal centres for such matters, the Temple Street Hospital on the north side of the city, Crumlin in the west and the National Children's Hospital on...

Seanad: Health Services (12 Mar 2009)

David Norris: I thank the Minister of State for his reply and ask a few questions. He pointed out that the Children's Health First report recommended one centre of excellence but that does not answer the question about two upgraded accident and emergency units. This is recommended by the leading authority on the subject in the interest of what it describes as the safety of children. That is an important...

Seanad: Health Services (12 Mar 2009)

David Norris: It is a significant vacancy. It is one to be filled on the nomination of Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, which has these exact reservations among others. That is a real problem. I note the list of board members contains some distinguished people, including some friends of mine such as Harry Crosbie, who is a remarkable man. The sum of money the Minister of State indicates is being...

Seanad: Health Services (12 Mar 2009)

David Norris: There is flexibility in this regard and we need to examine it.

Seanad: Health Services (12 Mar 2009)

David Norris: I would like the Minister of State to convey the points I have made to the Minister.

Seanad: Health Services (12 Mar 2009)

David Norris: I thank the Minister of State for that.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Mar 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Mar 2009)

David Norris: Come on. It is an historic occasion.