Results 1,661-1,680 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Higher Education Review: Statements. (22 Feb 2005)

David Norris: I thank my colleague, Senator Henry, for making time available and Senator Mansergh for his courtesy in cutting short his interesting remarks to allow us to participate. I welcome the Minister to the House. It is appropriate as, like me, she was a teacher. I have read a report of a speech made in Cork by one of this report's principal authors, Professor Shattock. He highlighted two major...

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

David Norris: Will the Leader consider No. 22, motion 7, which proposes to extend the Order of Business? It is rather bad for the House that Members undermine without wishing to the authority of the Cathaoirleach because there are matters we want to raise. The Order of Business is the best attended part of the day and it is the aspect of our business to which the media pay most attention. It is very often...

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

David Norris: We support Senator Mansergh.

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

David Norris: Can we have an extension to the Order of Business for an exchange with Senator Mansergh?

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

David Norris: I am sure we could reach a compromise.

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

David Norris: It has never been tested against the common good provision.

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

David Norris: I thank Senator O'Toole for sharing his time. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power. I am sorry the Tánaiste, Deputy Harney, is not present, being the head honcho——

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

David Norris: I accept that. The Minister of State, Deputy Power, will act as an effective conduit of the views of the Seanad. I agreed with much of what Senator Glynn said. Senator O'Toole suggested a tax credit, which is a good idea. I was involved in the rescue of a small old persons' home in Dublin. It had not been charging enough. It was run by a committee of well-intentioned people but they were not...

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

David Norris: We are not the Opposition.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Mar 2005)

David Norris: I wish to raise the issue, which the House has treated seriously in the past, of the use of Shannon Airport by a Gulfstream V jet and other Boeing planes. When I first raised this issue one year ago, I could hardly believe what I was saying could be true. I wondered if I was detached from reality. It seemed to me strange that the Government should be involved and implicated in the commission...

Seanad: Totalisator (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (2 Mar 2005)

David Norris: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. It is very nice to see him back here in the Seanad where I recall his genial and well-informed presence on the Government benches. I also welcome the introduction of this; it is a healthy development. Over recent sessions several of us have put down Private Members' Bills, which is an important function of the Seanad. That is why it is a...

Seanad: Totalisator (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (2 Mar 2005)

David Norris: At sixpence a shot, even the Minister of State could afford it. I quietly discarded all the tickets that had not won and when I nonchalantly turned around the corner, everyone wanted to see my tickets. When I said I had not looked at them, they said I got first, second and third. They were so impressed by my racing knowledge that they followed my advice for the remainder of the afternoon with...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Mar 2005)

David Norris: I support my colleague, Senator O'Toole, in asking for a debate on the national pensions reserve fund which would be very useful. In the debate, we should consider the wider aspects of pension provision, particularly the disgraceful anomalies that exist. I refer in particular to the case of an Army pensioner who wrote to me. He was a contributor to the contributory pension scheme but he has...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Mar 2005)

David Norris: I have no doubt that we could put one into Roscommon eventually. I have no problem using the money on infrastructural projects if we do not need it. On the matter raised by Senator Finucane, namely, the Intel investment, the position is slightly different from that which he outlined. There were four competitor areas which included China, as identified correctly by the Senator, Singapore,...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Mar 2005)

David Norris: Unless there is something I have not spotted, I believe it should do so. The only argument that the representative of the Union came up with was that the type of grants in question could spark off a kind of auction in which countries with deeper pockets, such as France, would outbid us. I do not find that argument very convincing. The RTE economics correspondent, George Lee, was absolutely...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (3 Mar 2005)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Mar 2005)

David Norris: I wish to comment on the Leader's statements. I think we all support the Leader in her struggles with Ministers. It is important that we make a stand as I have been in this House for nearly 20 years and cannot remember this sort of chopping and changing of dates. The Seanad used to meet at approximately the same time every week. It is difficult to have one's diary in order if our sitting days...

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Mar 2005)

David Norris: If the Leader does not need our support, I would be grateful if the Seanad could have a more regular ordering of business.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Mar 2005)

David Norris: It is unsatisfactory and unprofessional and does not suit the vast majority of Members. They would say the same on the Leader's side of the House in private. I wish to raise the report of the Human Rights Commission and its observations about abortion. I know this is a very sensitive and delicate issue and no one wishes to re-run the abortion referenda. However, we did have a referendum which...