Results 6,641-6,660 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (7 Oct 2009)

David Norris: I apologise. I did not think I would.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: I wanted to call for a debate on education in light of the unspent moneys at the Department of Education and Science and the wonderful news about Trinity College Dublin and UCD numbering among the world's first 50 and 100 universities, respectively, but I cannot. I am furious, given the way in which the House and its politicians are being treated. I would be happy to sign up to making...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: A couple of months ago, I was telephoned by a tabloid newspaper and asked how I could justify travelling expenses of €6,000 or so. I told the newspaper that I could not. When I was asked whether I had anything else to say, I stated that I had never claimed a single penny because I walked every day, as I walked today. I have never claimed travelling expenses. It was a daily allowance,...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: I am angry. Before the war, I visited Baghdad in an attempt to secure the human rights of the unfortunate people of Iraq. We got 43p per day because we were slavishly following the British instruction, but the British wanted to keep people like myself out of Iraq. What can we do? We must be open. I believed that the item on corruption was going to be about Berlusconi. I remember the...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: When I asked about this, I was told that politicians on a junket was a story but that politicians working was not. Let us have a bit of responsibility and let the House be reported properly. I want the people to know what work I do.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: They would get good bang for their buck.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: Excuse me, Senator Regan, if you are referring to me I would like you to withdraw that remark. I am an Independent Senator. I did not defend expenses. I asked for a proper clarification and an historical analysis of our record in committees and everything else.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: Let the people know. I defend my record.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: I seem to remember mentioning that subject.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: If I may speak, through the Chair, on a point of something or other, I mean no discourtesy to the House. I would like to listen to the reply but I will have to read it. I must be in another place to attend a meeting of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, where we will discuss the report on Gaza, just in case anybody around here would think I am going on an expenses junket.

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: I wish to share time with Senator Bacik.

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Barry Andrews, but I am sorry that the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, is not present. This is an interesting situation and one that I take on with some delicacy because I do not like to take on any sectarian matter about the Catholic ethos or Protestant ethos. There is, however, a...

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: That was my mother's old school.

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: Rot.

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: Now we know why the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, was ashamed to show his face-----

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: That is one of the most disgraceful responses I have ever heard. It is blatantly sectarian and a tissue of lies. I am beginning to wonder if there is not an agenda at certain levels within the Department among those who have the same view as Senator Bacik and I that sectarian education is not a good idea, who would like, by stealth and imposing their policy on a weak Minister, to extinguish...

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: -----and the total on a full SEC grant is 1,000. How can the Minister square these figures? More than half of the Protestant pupils attending are getting grants because they are poor. This is getting worse. The action of the Government has got rid of secretarial and maintenance grants. Any objective independent analysis will show that this is discriminatory and that as a result of the...

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: I did not say that.

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

David Norris: I have a final supplementary question for the Minister of State.