Results 16,621-16,640 of 24,350 for speaker:Jerry Buttimer

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the 16 Members of the House for their contributions to the Order of Business. I dtús báire, ar mo shon féin, cuirim fíorfháilte ar ais roimh gach duine, go mórmhór roimh fhoireann Teach Laighean agus roimh an gCathaoirleach. I welcome everybody back to the very busy autumn term and hope we have a very successful and co-operative session. We have...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: Fianna Fáil is now travelling the road of promising all things to all people and if that is the way it wants to behave then let us go to the country and have an election.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: I know that Senator Ned O'Sullivan is getting ready to hit the road himself and I know that he was very close to the leader of Fianna Fáil, Deputy Micheál Martin, when they gathered in Malahide. I worked well with the Senator on the Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, however. Let us put things in context. If we want to have a real political debate then let us...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: I remind members of Fianna Fáil that we have had a number of debates in this House on the Defence Forces and we will have them again. Senators McFadden, Craughwell and Wilson also have raised these matters here on the Order of Business. I ask Senator Murnane O'Connor to put things in context. The public sector pay agreement from 2018 to 2020 provides for further increases in pay...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: The restoration of public sector pay commenced under the last Government and continues under this one. I ask that Senator Murnane O'Connor not forget that.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: What Senator McFadden said, as to be fair did Senators Craughwell and Wilson in a non-partisan way, is that we need to do more. We will do that but Senator Murnane O'Connor should not use the men and women of the Defence Forces as political pawns.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: They are members of Óglaigh na hÉireann, our Defence Forces, who travel the world. We should have pride in them and value them and not use them as political pawns-----

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: I am anxious to get going with my winding up.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: Senator Murnane O'Connor, I apologise, I mean Senator Clifford-Lee-----

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: The Senator is probably in Dublin North and Dublin South-Central as well. Senators Ardagh and Clifford-Lee raised the very important issue of BusConnects. I know that Senator McDowell has been knocking on doors about this as well. The Senators are correct to raise this very important issue. Many of my party colleagues, such as Councillor Emer Higgins and Deputy Rock have also held public...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: As the Taoiseach said, the legislation will come before the Dáil in the first week of October. It is my intent that the legislation will not be delayed in this House but that is dependent on the co-operation of all sides. I understand that at the meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health this morning concerns were expressed by a variety of spokespersons for different...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: On Senator Bacik's point, the Minister for Education and Skills has been in the House to debate the separation of church and State in education but I will ask him to come back to the House. Senator Byrne raised the issue of patients on trolleys in Limerick University Hospital. The number is too high and the Government is committed to tackling the waiting lists and it has committed to...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: Sinn Féin did it in the county in which we reside and Sinn Féin councillors on South Dublin County Council voted against the provision of social and affordable private housing.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: The Senator's party voted against the provision of 975 houses. We either want houses or we do not. I am of the view that every person needs to have a home whether it is private, social or affordable. I know that the Senator did not say the following but I wish to dispel the notion that the Fine Gael Party opposes the provision of social housing, on the contrary. I support the need to have...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: The Taoiseach is well able to navigate choppy waters-----

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: -----as is the Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, and his Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy McEntee. I know that the trio are united in their approach to Brexit and appreciate that Senator Leyden wishes them well-----

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: -----in their talks today but also in the ongoing negotiations.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: I appreciate where the Senator is coming from and I know where he has come from when he says that. I know that his involvement in Europe has granted him the experience to come in here and make such a comment. I do not dismiss his comments at all, in case he thinks that I am.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: I wish the Senator well with his impending report on a seamless border.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Jerry Buttimer: If my party is invited my colleagues and I will give it consideration.