Results 961-980 of 1,954 for speaker:John Gilroy

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: This is shocking.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: I would prefer to raise many issues, but I will confine myself to joining colleagues in paying tribute to Jimmy Walsh, whose retirement is upon us. No House could contain him nor the knowledge that he contains. He could be best described as a storehouse of knowledge, but that knowledge is only matched by his willingness to share it. He has given me and many colleagues encouraging and kind...

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. I cannot welcome this Bill but no matter how much I dislike it, I recognise the necessity of implementing the measures contained in it. The Minister of State referred to the requirement to take ¤750 million from the health budget, which totals ¤13.6 billion. This certainly presents a challenge, especially on top of the reductions in the...

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: His language portrays the political opportunism at the heart of the poor decision to grant universal entitlement to a medical card to the over-70s in the first place. Of course there was a lack of accountability after such a disastrous miscalculation was made. It is a pity Senator MacSharry did not stay to hear my witty contribution at his expense.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: Unfortunately, he suffers from the St. Augustine approach to cutbacks. He is not alone; all Fianna Fáil people do this.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: While Fianna Fáil Members are all in favour of reducing the deficit, every time they are just one cutback away from actually supporting it. The cutback we are discussing is always the one. They claim they will support the next one, until it comes and then it will be the next again. St Augustine would be proud. Of course, we would prefer not to have to make these changes.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: The religious analogies are flying around like mad. I thank the Acting Chairman for protecting me from them. We will be supporting the measure and it is important we do so. It is a minor change to the structure and does not target the more vulnerable in our society. In a matter of fairness, it is a requirement under the circumstances and we will have more to say about it tomorrow.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: It was an outrageous miscalculation of the numbers, if the Senator is to quote me properly.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: If he keeps it honest.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: This is all about party political opportunism and populism. The Senator should acknowledge that at least.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: Incredible.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: On a point of order-----

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: Which was more appropriate.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: On a point of order, with the Chair's permission, may I try to ascertain what this speech has to do with the section under consideration?

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: He is entitled to speak to the section.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: Only to the section.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: Perhaps it is the reason the House will be abolished, that we are not doing our job properly.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: It is important that we act responsibly and the words we use are those of responsible Senators. There is no question that we are introducing fear of persons losing their medical cards in the sense that Senator MacSharry has casually mentioned there. This is a targeted measure aimed at those who have pension funds, perhaps to the value of ¤650,000, who will also benefit from GP only cards...

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

John Gilroy: I support Senator Barrett?s aspiration to have such a measure included, although I cannot support the amendment. Senator MacSharry put it very well, that the replication of means testing is time consuming and wasteful of scarce resources. It is something the Minister could usefully bring back to Cabinet not in the context of the Bill, but as part of a wider legislative measure.