Results 1,361-1,380 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I introduce this Bill with some enthusiasm and also with a great deal of exasperation. Approximately two years ago I raised the issue of broadband in this House and it was greeted with some astonishment and a certain amount of diffidence by Members. Approximately a year ago I reintroduced the matter in a Private Members' motion, and we got...

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: The board would not be approved by a Minister. We would not let the Minister get his political hands on it.

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: The Minister has only 15 minutes.

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: I thank Senators Burke, Coffey, O'Toole, O'Reilly, Quinn, Prendergast, McFadden, Boyle, Carty, Walsh and Callely for contributing to the debate. I was disappointed by the Minister's response to the Bill, which was deliberately tailored in such a way as to give him an opportunity to accept it. The Bill was structured so that there would not be much in it to which he could object and so that...

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: The Minister knows that full well. When I heard his objections, I came to the conclusion that there is a reluctance to tackle this problem with any great speed.

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: The Minister stated that he does not agree with some of the targets. He did not really identify those targets. That is fine. Let him alter the targets. I have no difficulty in that regard. Let us just set the targets and get on with it. The Bill is not a panacea and I am not claiming that the targets are all perfect. Forfás indicated that it believes the Minister's targets would not...

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: I knew that if I had not included it, the Members on the Government side would not have been happy. There are 800 quangos which they are not prepared to touch. It is a bit bloody rich for Senators on the Government side to state that they are not enamoured of the quangos the Bill proposes to create. I am pleased with the acknowledgement from those Members who actually read the Bill. I...

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: What it requires is that they do not put cronies on the board but people who have to be passed by a two thirds majority of a joint committee of the Houses. They would not get their pals through. I do not blame them for not liking it. That new type of quango could be a model for other quangos. The Members on the Government benches will hate it because their cronies will not be appointed...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: Like everybody else, I believe it is a wonderful day for the world. One can do no more than add one's congratulations to those which go unanimously from this House to President-elect Obama. It is important, however, to echo what has been said by other Members. Ireland probably did not rate highly on President-elect Obama's radar during the election. In fact, it is greatly to his advantage...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: I wish to take up a point made by Senator Hannigan. The Leader promised to make time available for regular debates on the banking industry. Within the next two hours, the European Central Bank is set to reduce its rates by 0.5%. That should be a case for great rejoicing in this House and throughout Europe because it is meant to give a boost to the economies of member states, particularly...

Seanad: Support Services Grants. (6 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: I thank Senator Buttimer for giving me some of his time to address this subject. It is a sensitive but important subject because it says a lot about the attitude of the State towards its minorities. I have had several representations from Protestant schools and schools with a Protestant ethos which are dumbstruck that the Minister would go to such trouble to retrieve €2.8 million, despite...

Seanad: Support Services Grants. (6 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: The Minister of State's reply is totally unsatisfactory. He is giving no credence to this special ethos. Will he ask the Minister for Education and Science what are the economic benefits of this €2.8 million saving. Economies of scale must enter the equation, particularly as some Protestant schools are very small and other schools are much larger.

Seanad: Employment Rights (6 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: Senator Quinn on the Order of Business raised the matter of sharing time on this matter. If he comes in, I will share time with him. This issue is the need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment to make a statement on the campaign of the National Employment Rights Authority to review the pay and conditions records of employees in the restaurants sector. This...

Seanad: Employment Rights (6 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: I agree with the Minister of State about the exploitation of workers and the setting up of the NERA to stop that. There is no question but that is laudable, but it is somewhat of a red herring in this context. If the JLCs have it in their power to change the rates, will the Minister of State and the Government bring the same pressure on them to do so as we, as Members of the House, can do...

Seanad: Employment Rights (6 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: There is a major sense of urgency with this matter. Some people have been told to comply by 21 November. Does the Government realise that some companies will go under if they are obliged to pay back money?

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: I reiterate what Senator Fitzgerald said and not just on the substantive issues which she addressed. I do not know what has happened to that very old fashioned idea that the Houses of the Oireachtas are here to introduce legislation. We deserve an explanation for the fact that today, tomorrow and Thursday we are simply going to produce statements on issues that have been picked out of the...

Seanad: Dental Services. (12 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: I wish to raise the need for the Minister for Health and Children to address the issue of the Competition Act 2002 in relation to Irish dental practitioners. The Minister of State will undoubtedly be aware of this problem. I have spoken to many dentists who are extremely concerned about the possible collapse of the State's dentistry scheme for medical card holders. The case seems to be...

Seanad: Dental Services. (12 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: Will the Minister of State give me an assurance that the Minister for Health and Children will enter that meeting, to which he referred, next week with an open mind on allowing dentists the same facility and adopting a similar approach to the Competition Act as was given to the IMO?