Results 1,481-1,500 of 5,754 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Death of Martin McGuinness: Expressions of Sympathy (21 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I put the following message up on Facebook this morning. It states:Notwithstanding the fact that those claiming to speak for the IRA in 1974 put my family through hell, I am deeply saddened at the passing of Martin McGuinness. It took two men who wanted peace, McGuinness and Paisley, to find in their hearts the wherewithal to commence the journey of understanding of each other's tradition....

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Yesterday I advised that I might discuss issues relating to the Defence Forces here. Thanks to the kindness of the Leader in offering a debate with the Minister of State responsible, I shall defer my comments until the Minister of State is here. Later on today we will discuss the insurance industry. An issue that is of particular interest to anybody sitting in this House is the impact an...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I understand that, but we will not be discussing this specific issue.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: The other question is that if they were to suffer a personal injury, would they be covered? This is something that is particularly-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: The debate will be more general, but-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Thank you. I wish to make one final point on the issue of free legal aid. I received a telephone call this morning to advise me that a person had been buried in a gold-plated coffin with a Rolex watch. His partner is now looking for free legal aid, having been caught engaging in criminal activity. Where are we going? I fully appreciate the necessity to provide free legal aid for those...

Seanad: Reports on Motor Insurance Costs: Statements (22 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I will first talk about the issue of databases in insurance in general and in the motor insurance industry. It is nonsensical to think there is not a database. The only problem is we do not have access to it. The insurance companies have been sharing information for as long as I can remember. I am particularly aware of a public house that burned down in Dublin in the 1960s and the...

Seanad: Reports on Motor Insurance Costs: Statements (22 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: It goes back to something Senator O'Donnell said. My broker gets me a fantastic price every year. My broker gets me a fantastic price because I am a teacher.

Seanad: Reports on Motor Insurance Costs: Statements (22 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: If I were buying health insurance in the morning and I were not a teacher, I could still buy the teacher's policy.

Seanad: Reports on Motor Insurance Costs: Statements (22 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: No, I will not name him. If one goes to buy health insurance in the morning, one can pick any specific grouping that has a special deal and decide to be part of that. Why is it not possible to do the same with car insurance? We hear of youngsters who buy cars for €2,000 and are asked to pay €5,000 insurance. We then ask ourselves why there are uninsured drivers on the road?...

Seanad: Reports on Motor Insurance Costs: Statements (22 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: They could have been going to Lough Gur. We need to sort this out. Why is this happening? If it is the case, we need the insurance companies to come clean now and give us a list of those people who operate in areas like county councils, emergency response or voluntary football teams and tell us whether those people need to declare that when they are writing their policy. We do not want...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement on Common Travel Area: Department of Justice and Equality (23 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I too wish you well Chairman, as we go through this process, which is a very worthy use of our time in the Seanad. I also join with the Chairman in condemning what happened in Westminster yesterday. We have strong, close ties with the people in Westminster and what happened opens up the world to the dangers we now have, given that migration happens across the world. I do not for one moment...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement on Common Travel Area: Department of Justice and Equality (23 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I have one supplementary question on non-EU nationals. We were aware that there was a huge problem with non-EU nationals in Callais, for example. Is there a possibility of a similar problem arising in Drogheda or some part of our Border counties where non-EU nationals landing in Ireland get as far as the border with Northern Ireland and are turned back and have nowhere else to go?

Seanad: An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: On a point of order, it was agreed this morning that there would be one speaker per group. Unfortunately, it is not always possible for Senators to be in the House for the Order of Business when these decisions are taken. This is probably one of the most serious issues that the Tánaiste has faced. She is doing an excellent job. Instead of extending time this evening, could we be...

Seanad: An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Tánaiste for coming to the House today. I watched her speak in the Dáil for the past couple of hours and I appreciate her taking the time to come here. This cannot be an easy time for her. The last paragraph of her speech says a lot about her time in office. She referred to the various organisation that she set up to oversee the running of the Garda...

Seanad: An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Give up while you are ahead.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I rise to discuss the Garda Síochána again. I was disturbed all night last night thinking about the pressure on Commissioner O'Sullivan to resign and step aside. I did a little bit of work on the Garda Síochána, and it is interesting to note that in the history of the State no Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces has been forced out of office. Since the foundation of...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I appreciate that and I am coming to my point. I believe 60% of Garda Commissioners have been hounded out of office since the foundation of the State. In senior Garda management today there is somebody who knows what is going on and is afraid to speak. I put out a call today and I hope the Leader will support me. Whoever that person is, let the entire force not be tarred with a rotten...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: That is disgusting.