Results 1,281-1,300 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: We brought them in. We met them individually.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: It is a negative Bill.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: Conscious that this debate will adjourn at 2.20 p.m. I shall confine myself to the 21 minutes available to me rather than have a few minutes carryover. I shall begin by saying something positive. At least in the legislation the Minister has brought forward he has made a decision on something, and for that we should be grateful. Huge debate has surrounded this issue over a protracted period....

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: ——and that in the fullness of time we would not be found out.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: Perhaps I may continue as I have less time than my two colleagues because of the way the order of the House falls. To be fair, I wish to address another issue. I refer to the past two years, in case the Minister asks about them. There has been a difference between prices of items covered by the groceries order and those not covered by it in the years 2004 and 2005. After 16 years of no...

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: The Minister can laugh. What would those groups know about the grocery business?

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: The Minister knows more, of course. They are merely operating in the business. What we have over the entire duration of the groceries order makes virtually no difference to the bulk of the sector, except in the most recent two years, and that is not because items covered by the groceries order have dramatically increased. They have not. I am a little at a loss to know why the revocation of...

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: The move had much more to do with image than reality. In Ireland, where examples of patent rip-offs are as common as rainy Mondays, why would the grocery sector be singled out as the area to be attacked first given that, as an Oireachtas joint committee report showed, food inflation was a negative — minus 1% in the year to last May — and was the second lowest among the 25 members of the...

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: Perhaps we should now be content to bring in cheaper meat from South America or Thai chicken, for example, and have it processed in Ireland.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: The notion that anyone would give clothing as an example, when we have devastated the clothing industry and that we now——

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: The Minister said that if we compare clothing prices in the UK and Ireland, the inflation rate is virtually identical, while there is a disparity between the food prices because the groceries area in Ireland is not competitive.

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: Of course one can get cheaper clothing when one has no clothing industry and can import all one's clothes, just as the UK does. The UK has the same attitude to food because it is a food importing country. Ireland is a food producing nation and some of us would like to hang on to food production in this country. It is an important part of our economy. The representations made by the farming...

Vote for the Health Service Executive 2005-06: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: I apologise for interrupting; is a script to be circulated?

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: Question 128: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding an application for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [2579/06]

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (31 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: Question 174: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on concerns from the boards of Temple Street and Mater hospitals over the decision by the Health Service Executive to delay the proposed redevelopment of the two hospitals; her further views on the matter; the timescales for proposed developments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3019/06]

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (31 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: Question 206: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her proposals which are being put to consultants in negotiations to revise the common contract; the proposals for public-only contracts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3030/06]

Written Answers — Drug Treatment Services: Drug Treatment Services (31 Jan 2006)

Brendan Howlin: Question 456: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on transferring a person (details supplied) in County Wexford from Mountjoy to Portlaoise or Shelton Abbey to ensure that they will no longer have easy access to heroin; if addiction treatment will be available to this person while they are incarcerated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2764/06]

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (1 Feb 2006)

Brendan Howlin: Question 168: To ask the Minister for Transport when he intends to bring a proposal to Government to amend the Constitution to allow the introduction of random breath testing; and the way in which he intends to legislate for same. [3119/06]

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (1 Feb 2006)

Brendan Howlin: Question 176: To ask the Minister for Transport the discussions he has had with the Railway Procurement Agency on the possibility of running part of the metro north route on stilts; and the latest proposal in this regard. [3120/06]

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Procedures: Garda Vetting Procedures (1 Feb 2006)

Brendan Howlin: Question 292: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people given clearance by the Garda Síochána arising from his decision to vet people working in the education service; the number of people vetted by the Garda Síochána for whom clearance to work with children has been refused; the number of people vetted; the number for County Wexford; and if he will...