Results 1,301-1,320 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (3 Nov 2005)

Derek McDowell: I accept without question the Minister of State's bone fides on this issue, but unfortunately we must put ourselves in the position of an employee representative who has been appointed because the law requires it and because the required threshold of workers in a particular workplace want it, but the employer does not want to facilitate this process and has no time for it in the first...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (3 Nov 2005)

Derek McDowell: Amendment No. 61 seeks to amend the standard rules by providing that the forum should meet at least four times a year. I can anticipate the Minister of State's response in that he will probably say there is provision for the forum to meet in any event in exceptional circumstances where the employee representatives wish to do so. This goes to the core of the Bill in that we must ask ourselves...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (3 Nov 2005)

Derek McDowell: I move amendment No. 61: In page 20, line 34, to delete "twice a year" and substitute "at least four times a year".

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (3 Nov 2005)

Derek McDowell: I would like to be associated with the words of thanks offered to the Minister of State and his officials. In a sense, those of us on this side of the House made his job unusually easy in fighting ourselves to a draw and in allowing the Minister of State to say that he had considered both sides, while not actually accepting anything that either of us said. Nonetheless, that is the way of...

Seanad: Estimates for Public Services 2006: Statements. (24 Nov 2005)

Derek McDowell: During the almost five years in which I had the pleasure of shadowing the former Minister for Finance, Charles McCreevy, I developed a real hatred of the word "prudence", which is most beloved of our friends in Merrion Street. Rarely did Mr. McCreevy make a speech that was not littered with references to "prudence" and "prudent". One develops an understanding fairly quickly as to what...

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements. (1 Dec 2005)

Derek McDowell: I was interested in the comments of Senator Norris to the effect that, unlike the Opposition parties, he did not condemn Transport 21. Nor do we. I certainly have not condemned it, nor was I aware that my party had. The problem is not the content or any lack of specifics, because, as Senator Ormonde rightly said, there are specifics. The problem is we have heard it all before, not once or...

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements. (1 Dec 2005)

Derek McDowell: I accept that is a factor. The Minister promised he would have the critical infrastructure Bill in place to fast-track the decision making process so that people would be allowed a substantive objection but would not be allowed seven, eight or nine attempts, as is the case now. The port tunnel in my own constituency is such an example. First we had to change the development plan in Dublin....

Seanad: Health Services. (6 Dec 2005)

Derek McDowell: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment, which relates to sexually transmitted infections, or STIs. I tabled it because it has come to my attention that there are real difficulties and problems for people in Dublin seeking to access testing for STIs. The Minister of State, being at the responsible Department, will probably know...

Seanad: Health Services. (6 Dec 2005)

Derek McDowell: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I appreciate the matter I raised was fairly comprehensive but I ask him and his Department to examine the whole issue of the availability, cost and accessibility of testing because real problems exist, certainly in the Dublin area, with which I am familiar, in accessing tests.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Feb 2006)

Derek McDowell: The issue raised by Senator O'Toole is of great importance. The primary message that should be sent from this House is one of understanding and solidarity with the people of Denmark and the Danish Government. This is an issue that requires sensitivity and cool heads as well as tolerance. It would be stupid of us as Europeans to suggest that Europe has always been a model of tolerance as...

Seanad: Social Partnership: Statements. (7 Feb 2006)

Derek McDowell: I will start on a positive note as most of my contribution will be critical, although not negative. I believe social partnership has had a vital role in the past 20 years in, first, getting us through the fiscal crisis of the late 1980s and, second, in doing a great deal to get us through the unemployment crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s. However, at some stage in the mid-1990s it...

Seanad: Road Network: Motion. (8 Feb 2006)

Derek McDowell: I wish to share my time with Senator Tuffy. A statement of principle is probably a good place to start. I do not have a problem, in principle, with tolls. Sometimes the impression is given that all Government politicians are in favour of tolls, so long as they are not in their own areas, and all Opposition politicians are against them. I do not have problem in principle with tolls but they...

Seanad: Road Network: Motion. (8 Feb 2006)

Derek McDowell: When will the Senator raise the Fermoy bypass?

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (8 Mar 2006)

Derek McDowell: I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this debate. It becomes obvious in debates such as this that this House is an overwhelmingly rural-based House where people do not seek to represent Dublin. The burden falls to me to represent, as best I can, those in the Civil Service who work in Dublin.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (8 Mar 2006)

Derek McDowell: I see the Minister of State is disappointed I was not here earlier. I do not want to let him leave without a few statements he can later quote. I will start where Senator Kitt concluded because that is probably the best example of the difficulties arising with regard to decentralisation, namely the decentralisation of Ireland Aid to Limerick. The Minister of State did not address this...

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (8 Mar 2006)

Derek McDowell: With their jobs.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (8 Mar 2006)

Derek McDowell: I am disappointed the Minister of State did not.

Seanad: Diplomatic Relations and Immunities (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (22 Mar 2006)

Derek McDowell: I apologise that Senator Ryan, our spokesman on these matters, cannot be here. This Bill raises an issue we rarely discuss, namely, diplomatic immunity. I was struck reading the speeches on Second Stage in the Dáil and listening to contributions here, by the automatic acceptance that it is necessary and good. I agree but only up to a point. The Minister of State listed some of the exemptions...

Seanad: Diplomatic Relations and Immunities (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (22 Mar 2006)

Derek McDowell: I assumed that was the answer but we should examine this issue. It might arise from international agreements and we are unlikely to change this practice unilaterally, but we should at least ask about it. Many Irish people would be surprised to know that the representatives of so many organisations they have never heard of are walking the streets with all these immunities. This Bill gives me...

Seanad: Diplomatic Relations and Immunities (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (22 Mar 2006)

Derek McDowell: Can privileges be revoked in such circumstances?