Results 841-860 of 6,295 for speaker:Michael D'Arcy

Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: It is my pleasure to be associated with the welcome extended to them.

Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I wish to be associated with the Senator's words of welcome to our good friends from the United States. I think it was Tip O'Neill who coined the famous phrase that "all politics is local". Certainly, our version is more local than most. I have heard people talking about the austerity programme and the 3% budget deficit limit. We must examine a couple of the issues surrounding the 3%...

Seanad: Sale of State Assets: Statements, Questions and Answers (19 Apr 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: As I have said previously in this House, honesty is one of the things that is badly required in this country. It is disturbing that on a number of occasions, people have stood up in the Seanad and Dáil Chambers to try to rewrite history. It has always been the case that the positions are taken before advances are made and one moves on. The position that one initially took does not change,...

Seanad: Sale of State Assets: Statements, Questions and Answers (19 Apr 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: There was no equivocation about that. I ask the Senator not to change that circumstance, which was quite clear. The result achieved by the Government means that some money will be used to pay off debt and the rest of it will be used for job creation. Everybody in this Chamber and the other Chamber agrees that the Government achieved a good result which will benefit unemployed people by...

Seanad: Sale of State Assets: Statements, Questions and Answers (19 Apr 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: Careful. Senator Gilroy could get a response.

Seanad: Sale of State Assets: Statements, Questions and Answers (19 Apr 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: From a Kerryman, it is probably €1.5 billion.

Seanad: Sale of State Assets: Statements, Questions and Answers (19 Apr 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: The three companies most often quoted in dispatches are ESB, Bord Gáis Éireann and Coillte. Has the Minister considered taking from all three companies the renewables part of their generating capacity and merging this into one clean, green company? I know there are a number of green equity funds who would be prepared to invest in that scale of a company. Such a merger might not be that...

Seanad: Mortgage Arrears: Statements, Questions and Answers (15 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I wish to share my time with Senator Healy Eames. I shall use seven minutes.

Seanad: Mortgage Arrears: Statements, Questions and Answers (15 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I want to inform the Minister of State that my first meeting today was with banks on behalf of two people who face a repossession. I am not sure whether he deals with such people directly or has such cases on his books. I am sure that everyone of us have some of those citizens of the country to deal with. I do not like to use the term "repossession" if one can find a position that is...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: There is a great deal of grandstanding this morning.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: In 2005, when schools were designated for support under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, programme, there were a number which, despite meeting the criteria for inclusion, were not awarded that status. Many of the areas in which these schools are located have been suffering even greater economic and social deprivation since. The Minister for Education and Skills did...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: However, I am concerned that the schools which did not attain DEIS status in 2005, despite meeting all of the criteria, are now being subjected to the same cutbacks as schools which are much less disadvantaged. The consequence of this is that students who need more support will receive much less. The Minister must come to the House to discuss what might be done for this cohort of students....

Seanad: Statute Law Revision Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I am loath to repeat what has been said, but a body of work of this quantity and displaying such a level of expertise must be acknowledged. I am sure officials spent many a long, dark and lonely night battling the difficulties presented not only by archaic language but also by archaic print and binding. The Bill is reflective of an ongoing task of legacy work that requires a great deal of...

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (23 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after '"Seanad Éireann"' and substitute the following: "welcomes the decision of the Government to hold a competition for the next licence to operate the National Lottery for the period 2013-2033 in compliance with EU legal requirements; recognises the major achievements to date of the National Lottery and the widespread support of the Irish public...

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (23 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I did. Why are we here? We are here as a result of a motion. The Minister has been clear. A tender process must be adhered to and it is a matter of law that the process is adhered to. We are also here as a result of choice. We have had this discussion in the Chamber previously. The choice is about whether we are required to move State assets that we can move today, if necessary. We...

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (23 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: Slush fund ability. Senator O'Brien knows what I mean.

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (23 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: It has not been available since 2008. Today, the funds or moneys go mainly to the HSE and the Department of Health. We have a choice to try to build the children's hospital. This is one funding aspect. Can we do it? When the tenders come back we will see within a matter of months how much money is to be returned under the tender and licensing arrangements. We are not shutting down the...

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (23 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: We must make choices. We have come to the Chamber on many occasions and agreed and disagreed. If this is how the children's hospital gets built, it is a choice I am prepared to make. I do not care which licence we put up for tender or who disagrees with it. The use of the phrase "a great con" was ridiculous and over the top. We must advance this project as quickly as possible. The...

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (23 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: That is not my criticism.

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (23 May 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: On a point of order, I ask Senator David Norris to withdraw his sneering remark, please.