Results 721-740 of 5,754 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Budget 2016: Statements (13 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I am sure the Minister of State would love to hear the compliments I have to pay to today's budget. It would be a refreshing move from this side of the House.

Seanad: Budget 2016: Statements (13 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: The Leader could move an amendment. I ask him to do that in the interests of fairness.

Seanad: Budget 2016: Statements (13 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: With all due respects to the Minister of State-----

Seanad: Budget 2016: Statements (13 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: -----I appreciate that he is caught in this rule just like I am, but this is outrageous.

Seanad: Budget 2016: Statements (13 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: There were two hours and the Acting Chairman let half the people speak over time.

Seanad: Budget 2016: Statements (13 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister of State missed my part.

Seanad: Budget 2016: Statements (13 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister of State is allowed to speak over time.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Construction Contracts (14 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Tá fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. He is busy as a result of yesterday's budget, so I thank him for attending the House to debate this important issue, which has been raised by Business Retail Union Ireland, BRUI, a group formed by the retail trade and subcontractors in the construction industry to defend their causes. The Construction Contracts Act was first introduced in this...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Construction Contracts (14 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: It is particularly scandalous in circumstances where thousands of subcontractors have gone out of business in the wake of the worst downturn in the construction sector that this country has ever seen. Almost one year ago, the Construction Industry Federation, CIF, director general, Mr. Tom Parlon, stated that builders were facing collapse over pay delays and that thousands of those in other...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Construction Contracts (14 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister of State said the closing date in respect of the Public Appointments Service was 18 September. We are almost a month beyond that date. Have interviews taken place or are they about to and is that now the only impediment that exists to the commencement of the legislation? I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State, but he said he took the matter over late last year. As...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Construction Contracts (14 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Have the interviews taken place or will they soon and will the Minister of State commence the Act as soon as the panel is in place?

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Construction Contracts (14 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: We will make the Minister of State drop us a line to let us know.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I rise to ask the Leader if we could have a debate on commercial rates. Today I met some contractors and had a Commencement Matter debate with the Minister. I also met retailers whose businesses are being closed. One told me that when he visited the local authority to explain that he had difficulty finding money to pay rates, but could keep his business open, he was told to close it. When...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Well done on that.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Like all things, we destroy them.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I rise to request that sufficient speaking time be granted to allow all Members to make their contributions to the debate on the Marriage Bill later today. I have raised the matter of speaking time for Independent Members on a number of occasions since I was democratically elected to this House last year. I am long enough around to know that every organisation must have its standing orders...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I accept that but there are issues with respect to this matter and if I would be allowed to conclude what I stood up to say, it might clarify them. This House and its Members have long been accused of being a useless drain on public moneys. It is hard to defend this view when some who have been given the privilege to serve do not bother to turn up to debate some of the most important,...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: -----notwithstanding my attendance record.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: If the Leas-Chathaoirleach allows me to finish he will understand from where I am coming on this.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I fully understand that Members of this House are away on business frequently and I respect that. I further respect the elected Members of this House in the way they participate and their dedication to this House. I have sometimes sat here for a number of hours waiting to make my contribution, only to depend on the generosity of the Chair or another Member to share speaking time. Sometimes...