Results 1,401-1,420 of 2,304 for speaker:John Browne
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: I hope that commonsense will prevail among the people of Sligo and Roscommon and that they will have hospital services in their areas. However, that is a matter for the people there.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: On the spending limit for the presidential election, a greater reduction than the â¬750,000 proposed in this Bill should apply. There should also be a greater reduction than the proposed maximum of â¬200,000 which can be reimbursed to a candidate of a presidential election. It is disappointing that Fine Gael and the Labour Party are facilitating another election campaign to be funded by...
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: Earlier this year we introduced a Bill-----
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: -----which would have effectively outlawed corporate donations, including for the presidential campaign.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: The Government parties voted the Bill down on the basis of their having an effective ban in place by July. Perhaps the Minister, when responding, will tell us when the Government proposes to bring forward legislation in this regard. The absence of any such revision in the Bill before us today confirms the cynicism of that promise.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: While the Government has published the general scheme of a Bill it is clear the legislation will not be in place in time for the Presidential election. As such we will have a presidential campaign funded by corporate donations, despite a Government commitment to bring about a ban on corporate donations.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: I welcome that Deputy Joanna Tuffy-----
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: I recall that when as Minister of State I was in the Seanad and Deputy Tuffy was a Senator she described the move to reduce the number of Members of this House by 20 as a rush to populism that amounted to less accountability and weakened democracy. I know that the Minister is a democrat and that he fought hard on the Fine Gael side to ensure there was a democratic process within his party.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: It is important that we protect the democratic process. There is no place for populism such as abolishing the Seanad, reducing the number of Deputies and everything else that costs money.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: I have been holding ten or 12 clinics a week for the past 29 years.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: No one has ever come to me suggesting we should abolish the Seanad or reduce the number of Members of this House. People come to me about matters such as protecting hospitals, renewing medical cards, school extensions and so on. The people respect democracy. I agree that we need to substantially reform this House and the Seanad in a way that makes it more relevant to the ordinary people.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: I do not agree with the manner in which Senators are elected, a view I have made known on several occasions. The Minister is at the wheel of power of the Government. He is next in line to the Taoiseach.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: The Minister, Deputy Hogan, is the Taoiseach's eyes and ears and has been his voice on many occasions. He was also the Taoiseach's protector when in Opposition. I have no doubt that the Minister has his own views on this matter. I doubt that the Minister agrees with abolishing the Seanad or reducing substantially the number of Members of this House. I ask that the Minister reconsider the...
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: -----and appoint an ordinary citizen to the commission.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: The Minister should seriously consider it. I welcome the Bill which the Minister promised some time ago. He has probably excluded a number of areas we would have expected to see included in terms of reform.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: The Government has gone part of the way with the reduction of expenditure on Presidential elections, which is good, but I doubt if it has gone far enough. It is welcome that by-elections will be held within six months of a vacancy arising. For political reasons all parties failed to hold by-elections when they should have.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: Fine Gael and the Labour Party did the same during my time in this House and delayed the holding of by-elections when it suited them. We did the same.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: We are getting away from that now.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: My party will fully support having a six-month deadline for the holding of by-elections, which is a good idea. At some stage in years to come we might do what is done in local authorities, whereby replacements can be co-opted without the need for a by-election. Perhaps we should consider that option, but I am sure it is way down the road. I welcome the Bill, although I have reservations...
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: We will table constructive amendments.