Results 16,021-16,040 of 24,350 for speaker:Jerry Buttimer

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: Is Deputy Ross on the committee?

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: The Senator should withdraw that comment.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: It ill-behoves the Senator to say that.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: For the first time ever.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: I join the congratulations to Senator McDowell on his unanimous election as Chairman of the Seanad reform committee and I wish him well. As I stated in my opening comments - I have not demurred despite the commentary of some - we will all work to bring reform to Seanad Éireann in a collective and collaborative manner. It is what we will do and I wish the Senator every success in his...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: It is five years since Ireland qualified. On Europe Day is it not great that we can celebrate our participation in Europe and the Eurovision song contest final? As Senator Horkan rightly stated, it celebrates the importance of Europe to us as a nation. Survey results have indicated that 92% of our people want to remain in Europe, which sends a positive message to all of us as Europeans....

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: We have started and we are going to see it through. That is why we have the whole issues around disclosure and accountability. It is important, in the long term, that we avoid these cases going to court. There is a programme of reform initiated by the Government and we will see the outcomes. I agree with Senator Conway-Walsh that there must be complete answers. We cannot allow for...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: Senator Hopkins raised the issue of the recent report on Portiuncula Hospital. Like many of us, we would like to offer our sympathies to the families whose lives have been devastated and tragically affected by the failures of the care given to them at the hospital. From looking at the news last Thursday night, what should have been a joyful and happy occasion turned out to be one of grief...

Seanad: Local Government Accountability Bill 2018: Second Stage (9 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: This is an important debate and I understand what Senator Ó Domhnaill is trying to achieve. I will not pre-empt the speech of the Minister of State, but it is important in the context of the contributions of Members on the Order of Business today that we understand that accountability means accountability.That has many different facets, one of which means those of us who are public...

Seanad: Local Government Accountability Bill 2018: Second Stage (9 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: That is the bottom line.

Seanad: Local Government Accountability Bill 2018: Second Stage (9 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: Ar 10.30 maidin amárach.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: The Order of Business is No. 1, statements to mark Europe Day, to be taken at 12.45 p.m. with the contribution of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes and all other Senators not to exceed five minutes.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: The Senators are good at that.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the 15 Members of the House for their contributions to the Order of Business. Senators Mark Daly, Craughwell, Ruane, Colm Burke, Conway-Walsh, O'Reilly, Lombard, Davitt and, indirectly, Boyhan, Devine, Gallagher and Ó Domhnaill all mentioned the cervical cancer screening issue. It is harrowing and distressing for any person to be told he or she has cancer but to have to go on...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: I will make this clear, as I have done in this Chamber every day since the scandal emerged. We need accountability and people to be held to account. The buck must stop somewhere. It is why the Government established a statutory inquiry to uncover all the facts.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: As Senator Craughwell said yesterday, it is not just about the head of the HSE but it percolates all the way down.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: That is why the Government is determined to get it right. It is about getting all the information and facts so as to restore confidence in the cervical cancer screening programme. We must do that. That brave woman, Emma Mhic Mhathúna, was part of the HPV vaccine advertisement. It shows what we must do and that illustrates the importance of the scoping inquiry. We must get all the...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: I understand that. It will force people to leave and go elsewhere.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: It is disappointing in terms of people leaving our country but also in terms of investment coming in, and the Senator is correct in that regard. I wish to make it clear, in the context of Apple and Galway, that the Government and the IDA did everything possible to encourage and entice Apple to invest. I think two people objected-----

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: -----one of whom was not even living in the area. This is not just about a systems failure. We all want to see the democratic process at work in the context of planning matters. At the same time, in this case a person who was not even living in the area objected to this development and the whole system came tumbling down. What do we do? The Government was criticised for introducing the...