Results 1,421-1,440 of 5,046 for speaker:Paschal Mooney

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: King Solomon would say it could be either English or Irish.

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: As Senator Ivana Bacik pointed out, the Minister has reversed the provision on retirement age by proposing the substitution of 70 years for 65 years. Having elicited further information from the Minister on the other matter, I believe I am on a roll; perhaps, therefore, he might also indicate whether he is considering changing the retirement age for members of the Garda Síochána which has...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: It is a great loss of talent at 57 and 60 years of age when they do not wish to retire.

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: We are talking about retirement ages in this context.

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: I appreciate that I am stretching it, but it might be an opportunity for the Minister to elaborate.

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: Níl mórán Gaeilge agam. Is féidir linn labhairt as Gaeilge. I wish I could converse sufficiently effectively to be able to put forward my points of view, but that is my weakness. I have always admired Senators on all sides of the House who have been able to speak in our first language. They might ask why I do not go out and learn it, but that is another matter. Like Senator Keane, I...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. My enduring fantasy image of this debate will be of Senator Jim D'Arcy dancing to the music of Beyoncé at Glastonbury. It is interesting to know that the Senator has wide interests. I too am disappointed the Minister, Deputy Reilly, is not in the House. It would have been an opportunity in light of all the controversy. It would also have...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: Was the Senator trying to be helpful or mischievous?

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: With due respect, it is not necessarily the convention in this House that when a Member is making a contribution he should receive helpful interventions from other Members.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: I think I have made the point about language proficiency. Senator Cullinane is a fine fellow and I get on with him, but I was a little disappointed that he should now adopt the cloak of opposition that has been cast aside by Labour and Fine Gael as they have come into Government, in attacking Fianna Fáil Administrations for their handling of the health care system here. They have a proud...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: The health service in this country has faced very serious challenges over a long period that have involved other administrations as well as those of Fianna Fáil and to suggest we are entering some sort of Nirvana as a result of this Government is fantasy world. I found the following going through some basic research to try to find out what was going on in other countries. If I were to state...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: What also struck me is that junior doctors roughly make up one third of the medical work force in Europe and are among the main migrating group within the health care sector. I wish the Department and the Minister well in trying to recruit more junior doctors into the system as a short-term measure to address the immediate challenges that are facing them. I hope they will be encouraged to...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: I understand that overtime is an integral part of the system here, which adds even further. When people talk about money, it is not that there is a shortage of money for junior doctors. The shortage of money seems to be in how the system is administered, and that is a debate for another day. Overall I welcome the Bill.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: I could not help noticing Senator Darragh O'Brien's reference to incurring the wrath of Cain. I thought he was talking as a Trekkie fan about "The Wrath of Khan". The elephant in the room - the Italian and Spanish debt crisis - has not been mentioned so far today. In that context-----

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: I thank Senator Bacik. She is a woman of such remarkable and wide expertise that I cannot always grasp everything she brings before me.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: Yes. I was probably unable to grasp that aspect of her contribution. In this House some weeks ago, I asked the Minister for Social Protection where the Government would find the money to fund essential services ahead of the next budget and beyond it. My question was based on statements made by the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach to the effect that they would not increase income tax. We need...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: I ask the Leader, in light of the Italian and Spanish debt crisis, to consider inviting the Minister for Finance to come to the House before the end of the recess. I know a similar request has been made in a different context. The Minister should indicate exactly how the Government intends to address this matter. I am firmly of the view, which is shared by an increasing number of financial...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: I have asked the Leader to invite the Minister for Finance to come to the House. In that context, he should raise with the Minister the question of whether the Government should give serious consideration to a revision of its current position on our unsustainable debt burden. It seems to me that something needs to be done before next year to remove the unsustainable debt burden,...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: I would like to hear what the Government intends to do to address this crisis. I share the view expressed by Senator Cullinane in this regard.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2011)

Paschal Mooney: What will happen those at the lower end going into next year? Can the Minister guarantee that the essential services offered to the most vulnerable in our society will be protected?