Results 641-660 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Alex White: Steady on.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Alex White: People one never would have seen at the Galway tent.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Alex White: Start it.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Alex White: That will be a first.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Alex White: It was the actions of the former Minister, Michael McDowell.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Alex White: Was such a scenario in prospect?

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Committee Stage. (1 Oct 2008)

Alex White: I support those who have spoken on this amendment. A colleague made the point earlier that the issue of executive pay is a populist one and is not an objection of substance. I fundamentally disagree with that. This legislation looks likely to be passed by both Houses but the Minister and the Government will require an element of buy-in, if I can use that phrase, by taxpayers, the people...

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Committee Stage. (1 Oct 2008)

Alex White: The Minister cannot suggest this Bill is too detailed.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Committee Stage. (1 Oct 2008)

Alex White: I clarify that it is not a Labour Party amendment but a Fine Gael proposal that the Labour Party will be happy to support. It seems to be the minimum measure that would meet many concerns raised by others. Many of us have made the point that the Bill is a bare bones proposition with very little meat on it. Much is left to trust. We must see what will come out in the scheme. There must be...

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Committee Stage. (1 Oct 2008)

Alex White: I join previous speakers in thanking the Cathaoirleach, colleagues on all sides and, in particular, the staff for their efforts during what has been a very good debate. The Minister has not been as accommodating as I would have wished, but he listened to and dealt with our comments with his usual professionalism, care and attention. The Leader and Senator Doherty stated that the legislation...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2008)

Alex White: I endorse the tributes paid to the late Mr. Jack Tobin. Senator O'Toole appears to have a compelling point. The notion that the Houses could set up a sub-committee seems odd. The Houses may set up a committee and it, in turn, may set up a sub-committee. We should have some guidance from the Leader on this matter and perhaps we should take advice from the Committee of Selection. Perhaps...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2008)

Alex White: It would be an odd way to proceed, under Standing Orders, if we proposed a sub-committee on banking to be set up from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service. How could that work? Clearly, it is a matter for that committee to set up a sub-committee. If the House is now in a position whereby it can establish sub-committees over the heads of committees, as it were,...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2008)

Alex White: For this person to suggest to the Government that it should consider such cuts when he has been the beneficiary of such largesse, the extent of which we do not yet know, seems extraordinary. Today the Irish Congress of Trade Unions sponsors a very important event called the world day for decent work. I wish to mention it briefly to the House because while such days come and go and frequently...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2008)

Alex White: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2008)

Alex White: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Hunger Task Force Report: Statements (7 Oct 2008)

Alex White: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I welcome the publication of this excellent report. It contains not just an account of the problem but, as Senator de Búrca has pointed out, also contains quite a few compelling and clear pointers as to what might be done by countries, including Ireland, to attack this problem. Other Senators have referred to different aspects of the report...

Seanad: Orders of Reference of Select Committee: Motion (7 Oct 2008)

Alex White: That is a separate issue.

Seanad: Orders of Reference of Select Committee: Motion (7 Oct 2008)

Alex White: That is not true.

Seanad: Orders of Reference of Select Committee: Motion (7 Oct 2008)

Alex White: Along with Senator O'Toole, I have no difficulty with the proposal in the first motion but on the second motion Senator O'Toole has to be right in what he said. It cannot be the case that the Houses of the Oireachtas can go over the head, so to speak, of an Oireachtas committee and purport to set up a sub-committee of that existing committee. Senator O'Toole's point is an unanswerable one....

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2008)

Alex White: I support and agree with the concerns expressed about the delay in bringing forward the scheme which the Minister for Finance said would come to both Houses. We have seen what happened this morning in the UK. I respectfully disagree with Senator O'Toole in that I do not believe it is accurate to say the UK Government has copied the Irish Government. That is not true. The UK Government has...