Results 1,141-1,160 of 5,294 for speaker:Michael McCarthy

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: Senator O'Toole is correct. The Order of Business in this House is an excellent system that allows Members on all sides to raise issues of national and local significance. The issue of the marine radio stations in Malin and Valencia, for example, was raised by all Members on the Order of Business. The welcome decision by the Government to do a U-turn on that issue was due in no small part...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: As the insurance policy on the vessel is worth €3.8 million and it would cost €2 million to refloat it, an economic case cannot be made to ignore the issue. The national sail training programme has been called into question because the Asgard II was the main training vessel. Are we to take it that the programme has been abandoned? Is the sinking of the vessel being used as an excuse to...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: Why then does he not do it?

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: I second the amendment. If the Government is favourably disposed to this proposal, it should accept the amendment of this House. If, as has been clearly stated by the Minister of State in his response, the Government is favourably disposed to this proposal, the amendment should be accepted, in due courtesy, in this House rather than in the Dáil. I say this respectfully.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: Will the Minister of State ensure the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel is provided with whatever resources are necessary to allow it to make its decision?

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: I second the amendment. I also support it. The amendment reads: "Where exceptional circumstances arise such that arrangements under section 34(2) cannot be put in place without causing undue hardship, a housing authority may cancel the obligation of a household to pay part or all of the moneys referred to in that section". This amendment gives a housing authority the power to waive moneys...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: I am glad Senator Regan seconded Senator Norris's amendment to the Order of Business because I was going to do so myself. What Senator Boyle raised are serious issues, as were Senator Norris's. After the budget, I asked the Leader if there was any coincidence that the one Government body critical of the Government's policy is being dismantled by the Government. I do not think there was....

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: Will the Leader ensure the Minister for Health and Children gives a guarantee that there will be no reduction in accident and emergency services? I have argued that the HSE is not politically accountable and masks the responsibility of the Minister of the day. Given that the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, is no longer attached to a political party and may not stand in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: This can be done only if additional resources are put in place. I want to raise two points, about the Lisbon treaty and the HSE service plan. The latter has been seen by RTE. The renegotiation of the Lisbon treaty was seen exclusively by "Morning Ireland". When will the Government treat these Houses with some level of democratic respect and discuss what is happening in regard to the Lisbon...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2008)

Michael McCarthy: I also ask that any matter regarding the HSE will not be passed on to RTE but will be discussed in this House. We have had the bail-out scheme and we now have recapitalisation. When will we ensure that the Government will give a guarantee to homeowners that they will not have their houses repossessed for the duration of the current economic difficulty? We have given major assurances and...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Jan 2009)

Michael McCarthy: Towards the end of 2008 we had occasion to discuss the issue of consultation. My colleagues — in particular, Senator O'Donovan — have made good points on consultation. With all due respect to the Minister of State present, a commitment was given by the senior Minister to meet with the board and representatives from the Bantry area. There was a clear belief among those people that the...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Jan 2009)

Michael McCarthy: This section addresses consultation.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Jan 2009)

Michael McCarthy: This concerns the consultation issue.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Jan 2009)

Michael McCarthy: No, there has not.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Jan 2009)

Michael McCarthy: Is the Minister of State accepting the amendment?

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Jan 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I call a quorum.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Jan 2009)

Michael McCarthy: The Senator will have to let us know the combination to get in.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Jan 2009)

Michael McCarthy: There were two Government Deputies in west Cork at the time.