Results 661-680 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Seanad: National Consumer Agency: Motion. (29 Jun 2005)

Shane Ross: The Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs found fault with many of the banks. Ms Carmel Foley is a wonderful woman who did a great job but when she found the banks had broken the law, she could do nothing about it. Those whom she found guilty of committing offences could not be prosecuted by her in the courts. The Government could not put up with this any longer so it set up another...

Seanad: National Consumer Agency: Motion. (29 Jun 2005)

Shane Ross: No, there are three.

Seanad: National Consumer Agency: Motion. (29 Jun 2005)

Shane Ross: It is an auctioneer from the chambers of commerce. It is dangerous for the Government to set up agencies of this type to give the impression of action without giving them any teeth. This will be yet another piece of window-dressing which will have virtually no effect on behalf of the consumer.

Seanad: National Consumer Agency: Motion. (29 Jun 2005)

Shane Ross: Senator O'Toole is confused again.

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Jun 2005)

Shane Ross: I support Senator Brian Hayes's proposal for a discussion on risk equalisation and the Tánaiste's order in this regard. I cannot understand how an issue of such controversy could be put on the back-burner and discussion stifled. It is an issue of great importance to anybody who has health insurance. It is also an issue that is incredibly confusing and which most people do not understand. It...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Jun 2005)

Shane Ross: The purpose of this Chamber is to have such ideological debates.

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Jun 2005)

Shane Ross: For Senators to say this is a matter of ideology as though there is something wrong with that is absurd. This House is meant to be facilitate a clash of ideologies and be a forum for debate.

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Jun 2005)

Shane Ross: This is a great opportunity for such a debate. Everybody knows VHI and BUPA are at each other's throats, not only for commercial reasons but because there is a clash of ideology between the semi-State and private sector. This topical issue presents an ideal opportunity for us to thrash it out in this House. Even if the Tánaiste cannot come, I ask the Leader to accommodate a debate with a...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: I call for a debate on the Comptroller and Auditor General's report which was published last week. I am not doing so to knock the Government in any sense because, while it provides a great deal of material with which the Opposition can criticise the Government, I do not really believe that it is a matter of great concern. Successive Governments have presided over huge waste in the public...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: Like the Leader and Deputy Cassidy, we co-operate.

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: We are constituency colleagues and we co-operate, like the Leader and Deputy Cassidy.

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements (Resumed). (5 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: I thank the Government for giving us the chance to debate this very important issue. Members will have received a letter informing them about the Oireachtas crèche in the last day or two. I think everybody has received this letter. Whereas it is fairly short on detail, there are one or two very stark statistics therein. I suppose the one that is most telling and strikes all Members who look...

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements (Resumed). (5 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: It is not right that we should say they should pay such an enormous proportion of what they earn to see their children are looked after. As the Minister of State knows, the budget is approaching on 7 December. I hope that Fianna Fáil will indicate then that an imaginative package on child care will come to fruition. Senator White deserves credit for the lobbying she has done within Fianna...

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements (Resumed). (5 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: Her lobbying has been determined and particularly effective. There should not be some half-baked package in the form of a compromise between Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats. We must grapple with this problem on both fronts, that of the unfortunate person paying so much to go to work in terms of time, traffic and other factors. It must be grappled with equally vigorously by...

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements (Resumed). (5 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: I will restrict myself to broad principles. The package must be imaginative and cover money, allowances and tax credits. The important point, however, is that women and men have realistic options. At the moment they are almost prisoners of a system which requires them to go to work and pay all their money into a crèche if they have children. They pay such a substantial amount that they have...

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements (Resumed). (5 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: The Senator suggests inducements for employers to allow women to work part-time so that they, the children and the economy will benefit. I plead with the Minister of State to give the Minister for Finance the message that this House wants him to produce an imaginative, comprehensive package that will solve this problem.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: That is a contradiction in terms.

Seanad: Northern Ireland Issues: Statements. (6 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Northern Ireland Issues: Statements. (6 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: I also pay tribute to the Taoiseach for his extraordinary patience through this very difficult period and his wonderful talent for settling disputes of all kinds, particularly this most difficult one which has confronted this island for centuries. While it may not be solved, it has certainly been greatly ameliorated by his efforts. It is very refreshing to see all-party agreement on and...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Oct 2005)

Shane Ross: I endorse the comments made on salmon drift netting, although the conversion has been belated on the part of many. Nevertheless, I am delighted it has taken place because drift netting is a vital issue. The Independent Group has raised it for many years but our concerns have fallen on deaf ears. I join Senators in congratulating Senator Dardis and hope he will join a picket on salmon drift...