Results 6,961-6,980 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2009)

David Norris: I am flattered by the confusion.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2009)

David Norris: And a Gogarty to you too, sir. Many issues of considerable importance are before the House today but the most urgent is the Supreme Court's extremely important decision, which I welcome. I wish to express my sympathy to the Roche family on both sides of the argument. It is painful and difficult to go to court and I am sure they both feel rather bruised today. We in both Houses cannot feel...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

David Norris: If the Senator is such an enthusiast, why does he not join Fianna Fáil?

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

David Norris: I am being helpful.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

David Norris: I would like to share time with Senator Quinn.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

David Norris: As I have a personal fondness for and appreciation of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Hanafin, I usually welcome her to the House. However, I cannot give this Bill an enthusiastic or wholehearted welcome. I would like to pick up on an interesting remark made by Senator Butler who bravely attempted to welcome it. I made an important point in another part of the building...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

David Norris: I have a couple of issues to deal with quickly. With regard to welfare fraud, the Minister will remember that I raised in the House a year ago the issue of whether there was photographic identification. The Minister said she honestly did not know but she would find out, and she found that there was not. Is there yet such identification? I do not believe there is.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

David Norris: It is being introduced but it is not actually being applied yet.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

David Norris: Well done. Perhaps the Minister will give this House credit for revealing that because it was done in a spirit of goodwill and co-operation.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

David Norris: I am just finishing a sentence. Rehab has made very clear claims about what is happening. Dentists are in great difficulty and they claim there will be a catastrophic fall both in their incomes and in the quality of dental health. I end on the following point, although I am sure the Chair could be flexible. I know a person who I saved a number of years ago. His blind pension was...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

David Norris: His letter states he must now pay a prescription charge for the medication he receives to lessen the effects of his MS. He writes: "It is as if some cowardly mugger went through my pockets as I sat in my wheelchair and then stood on the other side of the street boasting of his courage." In conclusion, let us get the immigration and asylum Bill into the House. We already have habitual...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2009)

David Norris: I support Senator Daly's call for a debate on Gaza. It was interesting that an arrest warrant was issued against Tzipi Livni. The same thing previously happened in the case of President Augusto Pinochet. It is interesting that national and international courts are being employed to hold political leaders to account. I welcome that development. It is also interesting that the British...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2009)

David Norris: We have wandered widely but the Leas-Chathaoirleach has wisely restrained us and brought us back. I hope I do not fall too much in that area. I tabled an amendment following yesterday's discussion and know the Minister's agreement in principle comes later when matters such as dental benefit will be discussed. The Minister used the word "cut". A problem that many of us have - it is not...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2009)

David Norris: That is a very good example. Can it be encouraged?

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2009)

David Norris: An extremely interesting question was asked by Senator Buttimer about poverty-proofing by the social inclusion unit. This concerned me. I know it worried many of the people involved in the Combat Poverty Agency. It does not attract the greatest credibility when the Department making the cuts also assesses the impact on poverty. The fact the social inclusion unit is part of the Department...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2009)

David Norris: I am glad to see the Minister looked suitably embarrassed by the inadequacy of her answer. If there is anything worse than the Department of Social and Family Affairs assessing itself, it is to have the Department of Finance proof against poverty.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2009)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 1: In page 5, line 18, before "The", to insert the following: "(1) No person shall have his/her jobseeker's allowance reduced on the grounds of refusal to apply for a job unless the job declined is both suitable and appropriate.". I tabled this amendment after the debate on Second Stage when I pointed out that the Minister had on several occasions in her speech referred...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2009)

David Norris: In that case it would be rather a rushed job but we can still always return to this amendment, particularly because there are no other amendments except for the opposition to sections. We will be trundling through the lobbies fairly regularly. I am interested in the Minister's reply.

Seanad: Visit of Czech Delegation (16 Dec 2009)

David Norris: I am not sure if this is a point of order or a point of procedure but I wonder if it would be appropriate for the Leas-Chathaoirleach to inform the delegation that one of our Members, Senator Ivana Bacik, is the granddaughter of a prominent Czech citizen who did great honour to this country by bringing the art of cutting glass here and reviving the glass factory in Waterford. The delegation...