Results 1,401-1,420 of 1,591 for speaker:Eugene Regan

Seanad: Committee on Procedure and Privileges: Motion (30 Jun 2010)

Eugene Regan: It is odd to circulate a document in the House after Members agree to it. It should be circulated before we agree to it. There is just one line concerning it on the Order Paper.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: Such as stag hunting.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: I refer to the intervention of the US ambassador, Dan Rooney, in respect of the Poolbeg incinerator and the failure of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, to deal with a two year old application for a foreshore licence. I second Senator Buttimer's proposed amendment to the Order of Business in this regard. The serious issue that arises is that of...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Bill 2010 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: I thank the Minister for coming to the House to deal with the Bill. We had a detailed debate on the legislation on the last occasion and we all want it to be passed. It is in all our interests that it be implemented correctly and that it should prove to be effective.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Second Stage (7 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: I thank the Minister for his presentation of this Bill. I have two preliminary points. The Minister mentioned that he welcomes the debate on the legislation in this House, but it is unfortunate that it is taking place at this time when the Dáil will rise tomorrow and there will no opportunity for it to deal with any amendments that might be deemed to be warranted in the course of this...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: I do not support the amendment because it is unnecessary. The Title to the Bill was changed in the Lower House and is perfectly clear in its intent. On the general issue of the distinction to be made between the family and non-marital relationships, which is the purpose of the amendment, there is no confusion. The Bill does not involve a change to the Constitution. It is designed to...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: I support these amendments. They are carefully crafted and fill the lacuna in the legislation. The Bill, as drafted, assumes there are no children of same-sex relationships. On whether the issue is dealt with in this Bill or another, the Minister has not been clear as to his intentions in this regard and I raised this question on Report Stage. For example, amendment No. 64 simply provides...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: The Minister has not spoken to the amendments. He has given a blanket rejection of any provisions in the Bill for the protection of children of same-sex relationships. He refers to careful constitutional balance. I do not quite get the point he is making. What the Minister said is that the design of the Bill is to deal with the relationship between adults, and the line he takes is that...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: On a point of order, may I say-----

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: I support the amendments for the reasons I set out earlier. These protections should be in the legislation, although I understand the Minister has no intention of adopting them.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: These amendments have no merit. The term "civil status" is defined as being "single, married, separated, divorced or widowed". It is not a great extension of that term to include a civil status for a former partner in a civil partnership that has ended. The amendments would make a nonsense of the proposed legislation. Senator Norris is right. We have discussed this in the context of the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: Seeing that we are approaching the end of term, one of the most important decisions made in the House, reluctantly, was to pass the NAMA legislation. Some speakers referred to Anglo Irish Bank. I refer to a statement by a former director of the bank, Mr. Frank Daly, now chairman of NAMA, that the banks had misled NAMA. Media comment, in particular, has adopted this line uncritically. It...

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: I have a question. The point is that the establishment of NAMA was announced in the supplementary Budget Statement in April last year. The draft business plan, according to which we were to make this phenomenal €4.8 billion in profit, was published on 13 October. Having nationalised Anglo Irish Bank in December 2009 and appointed public interest directors to all of the banks, there was...

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: To present a rosy picture-----

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: Did the Government not present, intentionally, a rosy and misleading picture on the profitability of NAMA in order to get the legislation over the line? It either did engage in a due diligence process on the banks - it had the capacity to do so - and hid the figures from us, or it did not, which would amount to a dereliction of duty. That is what is unpatriotic about the Government - it...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy. (13 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: If I can add to what has been said already, and I adopt all the points that have been made, Nuala Fennell was an outstanding contributor to Irish society and to Irish politics. She described in her autobiography why she was attracted to Dr. Garret FitzGerald's Fine Gael. It was his liberalism and enthusiasm for change and a better Ireland. It is worth noting that she entered politics in a...

Seanad: Suspension of Member: Motion (14 Jul 2010)

Eugene Regan: In support of the motion and on behalf of Fine Gael Senators, I welcome this report. The Committee on Members' Interests of Seanad Éireann has done very good work and has acted expeditiously. This was an issue that did damage to the House and it is important that it was dealt with quickly and decisively which is what the committee did. It also took a decision on grounds that are...