Results 1,521-1,540 of 4,810 for speaker:Liam Twomey

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: The Mahon tribunal was raised in this House yesterday. That tribunal is an institution that was established by the Oireachtas and when it comes under sustained attack from within and without, we should set aside time to discuss it in this House. Senator McDonald, who is from my constituency in County Wexford, attacked the tribunal regarding the leaking of information. Senator McDonald...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: The Senator should wish them a happy St. Valentine's Day, while he is on the job——

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: ——or sing "Amore" in his best Italian accent.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: The Taoiseach supports the Health Service Executive.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: She was watching from the sidelines.

Seanad: Economic Outlook: Motion (20 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: I move: That Seanad Éireann, in light of the changing economic outlook of our economy, calls on the Government: to accelerate the reforms of the sectors of our economy under its control and to dramatically improve the productivity and competitiveness of Government provided services; to respect the role of the Oireachtas, as the legitimate forum of decision making for the people of Ireland,...

Seanad: Economic Outlook: Motion (20 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: The figures used by Fine Gael were provided by the Department of Finance and accepted by the Government.

Seanad: Economic Outlook: Motion (20 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: The Senator knows exactly what I am talking about. He should not manipulate the figures to suit himself.

Seanad: Economic Outlook: Motion (20 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: No one in this Chamber or in the media is trying to talk this country into recession. The Taoiseach stated not long ago that people who talked down the construction industry were unpatriotic. However, often people simply are trying to have a reasoned debate without the use of spin. The sector of our economy that is not sheltered is suffering owing to a loss of competitiveness that has been...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: I am pleased the Minister is coming before the House for this debate on education for persons with special educational needs because everyone here is aware of the importance of applied behaviour analysis, ABA, in the education of children with autism. Government representatives have appeared in local media outlets throughout the country claiming to fully support parents and I want to see...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: She should whisper in his ear.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Statements (Resumed). (21 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: I thank Senator Hannigan for sharing his time with me. Throughout this row, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Education and Science have said the issue is not funding but providing the most appropriate education for children. That is blatantly untrue because this is a row about resources and whether it is the parents, the State or a combination of both who decide a child's education. Who...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Statements (Resumed). (21 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: The Minister, Deputy Hanafin, is hiding behind civil servants again and blaming them for what is clearly a resource issue. There is a shortage of special needs assistants. The Minister must face up to that and stop talking in riddles to people outside this House. There is a lack of resources.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Statements (Resumed). (21 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: When the Minister states there are so many places available, does that mean we have enough?

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Statements (Resumed). (21 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: That is the Senator's argument consistently but we should look to the future. We need more special needs assistants, more teachers and more places.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Statements (Resumed). (21 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: The parents and the State should work together in providing those and the Government should not dictate to the parents what they will get.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Statements (Resumed). (21 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: I wish to set the record straight regarding the court case we are discussing. The child was assessed as needing ABA by a psychologist, not by the parents, but the State refused to find a nearby ABA place for that child. There is no appeals process in regard to this——

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Statements (Resumed). (21 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: There was no appeals process for this child and the only option left open to the parents was to go to court because the only place they were offered was in the constituency of the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, which was 50 miles from the child's home. That was the background to the court case. The parents were being boxed in by the State, so to speak, in that they were given no other option but...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Statements (Resumed). (21 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: There is a sense that the State has become arrogant.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Statements (Resumed). (21 Feb 2008)

Liam Twomey: If I was not interrupted——