Results 621-640 of 2,017 for speaker:Paul Bradford

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Second Stage (9 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the Minister. Most Members have a view on the Social Welfare Bill and a significant number want to contribute to the debate on it because they are familiar with constituents who avail of the services and payments provided by the Department of Social and Family Affairs on a weekly basis. At a time of increasing unemployment, the position in this regard will be reinforced. Senator...

Seanad: Report of Sub-Committee on Ireland's Future in the EU: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I wish to say a brief few words in regard to the report of the Sub-Committee on Ireland's Future in the European Union and the broader theme of where we go from here. All members of the sub-committee and, in particular, Senator Donohoe, are to be praised for the enormous efforts they put into the work of the sub-committee. While there were a few highlights of the sub-committee's work as far...

Seanad: Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (10 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I wish to share two minutes of my time with Senator Coffey, while retaining five minutes for myself.

Seanad: Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (10 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the Minister of State. I am aware that he and his Government colleagues have been working hard on this issue in recent days, which is only to be expected. I am sure he shares my analysis of the scale of this problem and the crisis it poses for the Irish pork and bacon industry in particular and the Irish food industry as a whole. Ireland still depends greatly on agriculture for...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I support previous speakers who expressed satisfaction at the progress made in respect of the Irish pork industry. However, I concur with those who intimated that it is a case that the battle has been won but that the war is far from over. We must focus our efforts on ensuring, not just domestically but internationally, that Irish meat can be returned to supermarket shelves as the greenest,...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I support the amendment. While I did not contribute on Second Stage, I remember some of the discussion, including the lengthy contribution of my colleague, Senator O'Reilly, on this issue. The Government's amendment is reasonable, practical and sensible. I have had occasion to send a significant number of mass cards, although I do not want to cross theology and politics. The signatures and...

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I thank Senator Buttimer for giving me some of his time and being rather restrained in his approach to this debate.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Hoctor, to the House. I am glad a Fianna Fáil Minister of State is presenting this legislation because, in essence, we have a Government dominated by Fianna Fáil. Generally speaking, the former Tánaiste and the current Minister takes the blame for all Government decisions relating to health services, but collective decisions are made at Cabinet...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: It is obvious that increases in social assistance payments are to be welcomed in any debate on social welfare. Such payments are made, following means tests, to assist those who have not paid sufficient PRSI contributions. This section lists the allowances to which it refers. Like many other Senators, I made specific reference to carer's allowance during the Second Stage debate. I asked...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I am disappointed with the Minister's response. I would have had a view of her ideology on many issues and would have expected her to be more sympathetic. As I said, I believe one of her predecessors, the late Séamus Brennan, not in the sense of producing reports, but in the ongoing engagement he had with us politically, was moving in a more positive direction on carer's allowance. The...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I may be off the mark with regard to this query, but this is the only section that seems remotely related to it, as the section mentions reckonable income for social insurance contributions. I refer to something I raised on Second Stage. The Minister intended to work on the area of retrospective collection of social insurance contributions from the spouses of self-employed persons. I am...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: The Minister might indicate how many requests have been presented to her Department for claims of retrospective self-employed status and the progress on same.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the concept but it appears to be slow——

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: ——and the problem will not exist in a few years' time because it only concerns people who were in the stream for a few years.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: I concur with the previous three speakers on the issue of house repossessions. When the State, Government and taxpayer is coming to the aid of the banking and financial institutions in a fashion not yet determined, we need to demand some form of reciprocation. That so many people have difficulty with their mortgage repayments is a cause of grave concern. Anecdotal evidence suggests that...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Paul Bradford: Has the Minister held direct talks with the financial institutions on this issue and, if not, does she plan to do so? I noted her remark that she had made her views known. The Minister or other Ministers should discuss this issue with the banks and other mortgage lenders and strongly impress on them the Government's thinking and position on this issue. Will she consider doing this?

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (29 Jan 2009)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important Bill. I wish to make some comments in regard to my area and other constituencies, as well as raise broader political issues on how we should proceed. While I respect the fact that the commission is an independent agency, some of its proposed changes make no sense. Several Senators referred to changes in the Kerry and Limerick regions....

Seanad: Report on European Union Scrutiny: Statements (3 Feb 2009)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Sargent, to the House. He has a deep personal interest in this proposal and in the area of food production and food quality. It is opportune to have this discussion in the Seanad in light of the recent crisis in the pork industry. Apropos same, the Minister of State's role in dealing with the difficulties was much appreciated by everybody involved in...

Seanad: Report on European Union Scrutiny: Statements (3 Feb 2009)

Paul Bradford: The Minister of State understands the point I am making concerning foreign chicken products being rebranded as Irish. The consumer is being fooled and Irish producers are being shortchanged and their future livelihoods are being damaged. The Minister of State and his colleagues must redouble their efforts in addressing this issue. I appreciate that Europe has been rejecting our efforts. I...

Seanad: Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Statements (5 Feb 2009)

Paul Bradford: I am glad to speak in this important debate and glad that the Seanad is discussing the enormous and grave financial crisis facing the country. At a time when politics and the Seanad receive negative publicity, this House should engage in robust debate on matters pertaining to the economy, analysing why and how we are in our present difficulties and suggesting how we can advance. I hope this...