Results 621-640 of 6,030 for speaker:Brendan Ryan

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Second Stage. (27 Mar 2003)

Brendan Ryan: It did. It handed the party over to millionaires about ten years ago.

Seanad: Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Bill 2002: Second Stage. (27 Mar 2003)

Brendan Ryan: There is a well-known cliché about the extraordinary shape a horse designed by a committee would take. There is a degree to which this agency is a classic and not very aesthetically appealing fudge and compromise between two fairly strong-minded Ministers neither of whom, at least superficially, was prepared to be seen to lose. I agree with Senator Higgins that ultimately the Minister for...

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: A Chathaoirligh, while I do not want to incur your wrath, I sympathise entirely with Senator Norris's feelings. However, we can talk about it this afternoon. While I did suggest 15 minutes for spokespersons, I am not sure whether spokespersons should have any more time than others in this debate.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: Ten minutes all around is better. Many have strong feelings on the issue. I have moved beyond beating Members on the other side of the House over the head about it because it is far too serious an issue to be discussed in that manner. A report in The Irish Times yesterday contained comments from Ms Justice Laffoy that there had been "no real engagement by the Department of Education and...

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: I know.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: Members of the other House feel free to speak about Seanad reform and put their names to reports about—

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: Certainly, except that one of these matters was guillotined here and is still not finished. It was attempted to rush some of the other legislation through, although this was fought off by the Leader. These are still on the Dáil Order Paper, although we were expected to rush them through – before Christmas, in the case of the Immigration Bill 2002. Another Bill, utterly relevant to the...

Seanad: Humanitarian Crisis in Iraq: Statements. (2 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: If people are concerned – as are many Members of the House – about the humanitarian disaster looming in Iraq, they are obliged to demand immediately an end to the activity that is causing that disaster, namely, hostilities. I do not understand why a Government that claims it is neutral cannot say that this conflict should stop now. The British Government says that if we stop now, we will...

Seanad: Humanitarian Crisis in Iraq: Statements. - Regulatory Reform: Motion. (2 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Humanitarian Crisis in Iraq: Statements. - Regulatory Reform: Motion. (2 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: What is great about being a pragmatist is that one picks up the best ideas and looks at the concepts that work. That is one of the reasons I long ago abandoned liberal market economics. They do not work because they are based on presumptions about human behaviour that are not true. They espouse the view that people should be driven into a form of behaviour which is inimical to their well-being.

Seanad: Humanitarian Crisis in Iraq: Statements. - Regulatory Reform: Motion. (2 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: It is a very competitive profession and always has been. In fact, I am a little taken aback at the Indecon suggestion that the consumer would be better off if the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland did not publish records of fees. The consumer would be worse off if he or she did not know. The lists should be an accurate record of historical data: this is what the ACEI and the IEI...

Seanad: Humanitarian Crisis in Iraq: Statements. - Regulatory Reform: Motion. (2 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: The Senator should not joke about this – it is serious. The legal profession, on the other hand, would have us believe somebody who does a four year degree in law needs another four years before he or she can function adequately as a lawyer. That is palpable nonsense. Either there is something wrong with the degree course or there is something wrong with the subsequent training. There is...

Seanad: Humanitarian Crisis in Iraq: Statements. - Regulatory Reform: Motion. (2 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: The Senator knows I am married to a doctor.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: Will it be possible to have a debate on the concept and meaning of collective Cabinet responsibility? I read this morning's Irish Independent with interest. We seem to be witnessing open warfare between the Minister for Health and Children and what he euphemistically describes as the Department of Finance. I will not test the Chair's patience by citing the Minister but either the Minister for...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: I have made my point. The problem is that the Progressive Democrats have the Department of Finance as well as the other two Departments—

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: —but nobody in Fianna Fáil noticed. There is a PD fifth columnist inside Fianna Fáil and he is the Minister for Finance.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: Senator O'Toole raised last night's incident. I was not there but there is something that should be explained. The Cathoirleach will recall that about two years ago some of the Dublin taxi drivers took great exception to a Government decision. They camped outside this House for about three days in an intimidating fashion. They also camped outside Dublin Airport for the same length of time and...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: I simply want to know the criteria that are used for these decisions.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: I do not know whether they are talking to each other.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Apr 2003)

Brendan Ryan: I would like to know which one of them is relating Government policy.