Results 1,161-1,180 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: It is true there are no certainties in this matter. There can be no certainty on anybody's part. In particular, the Minister cannot be certain that what he hopes will occur will actually transpire. There can be no certainty associated with the assertion - Senator Boyle spoke about this with some confidence - that matters will come right. None of us can be certain with regard to what is...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: At that time my party argued, in trenchant terms, that there was no requirement to amend the Constitution in order to implement the principal recommendations made in the Kenny report which was published 35 years ago. These issues were canvassed and debated during the lifetime of the last two or three Administrations. It is not satisfactory for those opposite to simply state they are not to...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: -----in respect of how he perceived the position, what he thought would occur in the future, what was the strength and robustness of the banks etc. It was also stated the Government would never nationalise any institution because such a policy would be completely wrong-headed. However, Anglo Irish Bank was then nationalised. Is someone from the Minister's Department already working on the...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Perhaps that is the case.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: That is interesting. The Minister has anticipated the point I was going to make. We will have the argument on another day as to whether NAMA constitutes a bailout for developers. A good argument can be made to the effect that it does constitute such a bailout, even if only in the context of the delay of which developers will be able to avail.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I welcome the Minister of State. Prior to the sos, the Minister for Finance was close to agreeing with me. Whereas he certainly would not be prepared to accept that this measure constituted a bailout for developers - a debate we can have another day - he was less concerned, annoyed or irritated with the suggestion made by Senator Ross that it clearly constituted a bailout for the banks....

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Both Nobel prize winners.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Is the Minister five eighths in favour of nationalisation?

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Of course there is an exit route.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I did not hear Senator O'Reilly earlier but I am sure he was as lucid and persuasive as ever. I heard and agree with other colleagues' calls for some means by which this House could involve itself in a deeper, more meaningful and useful level of debate, especially with regard to current economic difficulties. Not wanting to be the party pooper, however, I must remind the House that we have...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: We must get on and just do that. Perhaps the best way to deal with it is to have an all-party motion on the procedures of the House which can be disposed of in Private Members' business or elsewhere and let people put their money where their mouths are on this issue.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I move amendment No. 1: In page 16, before section 2, to insert the following new section: 2.—(1) For the purposes of this Act, "the Oversight Committee" shall mean a committee of the Houses of the Oireachtas, or a sub-committee thereof so enjoined and appointed by a Resolution of the Houses, consisting of specified persons not being members of the Houses of the Oireachtas to report to the...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I am not criticising the Minister for that as he was reading the Bill. I merely suggest that if he did not follow that particular point, it might have been because his mind was on something else. The issue is this. We cannot always expect people, particularly in this modern era, to simply believe Ministers when they say "Trust us".

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: What if it were an Independent?

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I profoundly disagree with the Minister's characterisation of what oversight entails and of his perception of the role of NAMA in satisfying a requirement in respect of oversight. I will comment on that matter in a moment but I wish first to refer to some of the issues raised by other Senators. I am not sure if I spoke earlier on the two other amendments in this group that were tabled in my...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I am saying this in all fairness. I am not criticising the Minister for the Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan, in that regard. What I am saying is that if the Government has a debate, the Minister can stand up-----

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I do not understand. What I said was not meant as a criticism of anybody.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Exactly. What is hilarious about the Minister's position on nationalisation is that when he is pressed he says: "No, we could not have nationalisation, for all the reasons that Mr. Ahern has given in The Irish Times". However, when he is pressed and wants to argue he says: "Sure we already have it or nearly have it". Which is it? The Minister either thinks it is a good idea or he does...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Before we were helpfully interrupted before lunch, I was responding to a reasonable point Senator Norris had made about scrutiny and oversight. He was so impressed by the Minister's performance last night that he found it reassuring, although I am not suggesting he thought that satisfied the point. That is fair enough but oversight and scrutiny are not a sign of a Minister's performance....

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Steady on.