Results 781-800 of 14,090 for speaker:Marc MacSharry
- Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I agree with Senator O'Keeffe that the delay in payments to farmers under various schemes is unacceptable. This money is vital for the families concerned as well as for the real economy with people facing into pre-Christmas expenditure. State payments should be among the first to be made. If it was in the commercial world, people would be seeking legal advice to secure payment more...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I agree wholeheartedly with the Leader. Indeed, I have been guilty in the past of being obliged to leave early but I have always excused myself to the Leader. It is good practice either to do that or to be present in the Chamber to hear the response. We will not oppose the Order of Business, but I wish to raise some pressing issues and perhaps the Leader will be able to work them into the...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: He will not mind.
- Seanad: Central Bank and Credit Institutions (Resolution) (No. 2) Bill 2011: Second Stage (18 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: This is exhilarating legislation. I thank the Minister of State for attending the House and giving such a detailed presentation. We will support it. It was first moved on 28 February, when former Senator Donie Cassidy sat where Senator D'Arcy is now sitting. It ceased to exist following the dissolution of the House in April and was reintroduced by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan....
- Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: Can we have an immediate debate on the issue of Aviva? For more than two months now, my colleague, Senator Darragh O'Brien, has flagged this potential issue. I myself called for a task force to engage with all companies supported by Enterprise Ireland and the IDA throughout the country in order to anticipate any issues or difficulties they might have and to put forward help and suggestions...
- Seanad: Central Bank and Credit Institutions (Resolution) (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: The issue of mortgage arreas, which we discussed this morning, comes to mind and there is a code of conduct on mortgage arrears. While the codes of conduct are statutory under the Act that the Minister mentioned, I do not believe they are not open to interpretation. If the Central Bank deems that one follows the code of conduct, I do not believe a court can take issue with an aspect within...
- Seanad: Central Bank and Credit Institutions (Resolution) (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I thank the Minister for taking time from his busy schedule to come here rather than dispatch one of the Ministers of State. It is considerate and shows great respect for the House, and we appreciate it. Naturally, we on this side of the House supported the Bill. Almost word-for-word, notwithstanding the amendments to do with the credit union, Fianna Fáil had put it forward in February....
- Seanad: School Staffing (19 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I welcome the Minister of State and I am grateful for the opportunity to raise the matter of Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré, Ballydoogan, Sligo. I should be able to debate the matter in Irish but I cannot and that may be part of the reason this motion should be listened to and acted upon by the Government. It relates to a decision taken by the Department of Education and Skills whereby this school...
- Seanad: School Staffing (19 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I am disappointed with the Minister of State's response, although I appreciate it is one of those set-piece documents the Department doles out on this issue. The reality is that one size does not fit all when it comes to gaelscoileanna. I appreciate that we must get by with fewer resources, but I remind the Minister of State that we are about to pay back very large amounts of money to...
- Seanad: Report by Interdepartmental Working Group on Mortgage Arrears: Statements (Resumed) (25 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I thank the Minister of State for attending the House to discuss this issue. He will have heard many of the points made on the last two occasions on which we debated it. I am critical of the Keane report along the same lines as New Beginning, but I do not want to rain on anybody's parade, as it is another effort by a group of people to come up with solutions. Almost always I find myself...
- Seanad: Report by Interdepartmental Working Group on Mortgage Arrears: Statements (Resumed) (25 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I know. The demands of ministerial office are such that the Minister of State does not get to write his own scripts. If he did, there would not be such inconsistencies. I agree with other Senators that the banks must share the burden. Could the Seanad discuss the Bill accepted in the other House in Private Members' time without a vote? It is now parked in the Dáil and will be prevented...
- Seanad: Order of Business (26 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I appreciate there will be a debate on health in the House tomorrow and we all look forward to having the opportunity to ask questions of the Minister under the new format. However, I ask for a special debate in coming weeks on cardiology. Professor Ciaran Daly of University Hospital Galway is currently implementing recommendations to ensure Ireland matches up to international best...
- Seanad: Order of Business (27 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I welcome today's debate on the health service and thank the Leader for organising it. I am slightly regretful over the time allocations in that an allowance of seven minutes is a little short. In important financial debates over recent years, spokespersons have had up to 20 minutes. Given that this is to be the first occasion on which the Minister of Health will be present for a general...
- Seanad: Health Services: Statements, Questions and Answers (27 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I welcome the Minister. I have never doubted his personal commitment in the context of transforming the health service, nor did I doubt the commitment of the previous Minister, Mary Harney, or that of her predecessor in that regard. When I sat on the opposite side of the House, I had no difficulty uttering robust comments if I perceived that things were not being done correctly, that...
- Seanad: Health Services: Statements, Questions and Answers (27 Oct 2011)
Marc MacSharry: That was wrong. It is politically criminal not to state it should not have been done. Unlike other colleagues, the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, hung up the telephone on a radio interview when it was put to him. I know the Minister will not do so. I ask him to do justice to the people and state it should never have been said that a centre of excellence for cancer services would be...
- Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I welcome the Minister of State. I have great hopes for, and confidence in, him in terms of the passion he shows in this portfolio. From monitoring his career so far, he strikes me as a man who does not operate within the box, but who is well capable of thinking outside it. That is what is needed in the Department to help it to reach its potential and tourism to play its part in the...
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I second the amendment proposed by Senator à Domhnaill. A photograph on the front page of my local newspaper in Sligo this week shows people collecting home heating oil in small containers that are for sale in suppliers these days. That is how difficult people are finding it to cope and keep themselves warm. On that basis, I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to invite the...
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I am afraid it must be.
- Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I take the Cathaoirleach's point on raising only one issue I do not like to do disagree with the Chair but the issue of naming people has arisen over the years. Members of the House have privilege. The issue is the abuse of privilege. When names are in the public domain it is incumbent on us not to name people in a particular context. That is not abusing privilege, rather it is using it...
- Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2011)
Marc MacSharry: I am afraid I will use absolute privilege.