Results 20,241-20,260 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: I have just a few comments to make on the Bill. I welcome it in general but note that it is really a kind of stop-gap measure. The Minister has very engagingly acknowledged this. I welcome the Minister's statement that one of the commission's recommendations is a codification of the intoxicating liquor code currently spread across many statutes. This means, in other words, consolidating and...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: It was in shorthand. Recently the Garda, the civic authorities and neighbours objected to a place near where I live, The Temple. I will not sully the record of the House with the descriptions of the behaviour outside as a result of the excessive drinking. The pub was repeatedly granted its licence. How did this happen? The centre of Dublin is over-endowed with these enormous aircraft hangars...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: No, I do not. The Acting Chairman would like me to conclude. I beg her pardon and will conclude if I may just finish this paragraph.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Almost five minutes? Again, I was right. It is so unnerving. I thank the Acting Chairman for that reminder. People are reluctant to go to court, particularly in a situation where sexual orientation is involved, even though we have changed the law and so on. Perhaps because I have got older and more used to this, I am surprised that many young people would hesitate going into open court in the...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Splendid. I am all in favour. We could have had a real burst with St. Anthony out in Fairview. Seriously, it brings us all into contempt if we say that we are having a special exemption with no special quality to that occasion, meaning that we have 30 or so in a month. I know that has happened and I do not think it should.

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Will they be made to walk a straight line?

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: I am the one who does not have a Cambridge accent.

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: As always, it has been fun to hear the political parties knocking spots off each other. I speak as an Independent who is hors de combat in this respect. I listened with some amusement from my office to Joe O'Toole's contribution.

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: What did I call him?

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Did I really? What frightful lèse majesté. I do not imagine that anyone has been guilty of such a lapse in the House for decades. I apologise humbly to the Cathaoirleach. Senator O'Toole seems to have had an attack of political correctness. He bewailed the political correctness of the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, then came to the House and supported this motion. I have my doubts about the...

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: It is absurd. If one starts this type of strict accounting practice and strip Ministers of their motorcars and so forth, how will they function efficiently and adequately as Ministers of the State and servants of the people? I like to have happy, comfortable, efficient and well paid servants about the place. We should treat our Ministers as the servants they are and let them keep their motor cars.

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

David Norris: I thank the Senator for telling me. I was not quite sure what I said but now I understand it perfectly.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Absolutely.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Jun 2003)

David Norris: I support my colleagues' call for a debate on neutrality. It is important that we look at this issue and define it, and that for a change we are honest about it. I really do believe in Irish neutrality in terms of keeping ourselves out of military alliances. We should put the most effective weight we can behind the United Nations peacekeeping initiatives. I feel that particularly when people...

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Jun 2003)

David Norris: There is direction.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Jun 2003)

David Norris: Senator Mooney may make the distinction in his speech and I will look after mine. I am talking about the situation there where innocent people are being killed, and where, for example, in a previously targeted attack, a 1,000 lb. bomb was dropped where they expected somebody from Hamas to be and 15 civilians were killed. The really sinister aspect is that there is political direction by the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Jun 2003)

David Norris: I have no difficulty in agreeing with Senator Leyden. Yesterday's attempted assassination was a very dangerous course of action for the Israeli Government. Now perhaps Mr. Bush will feel like revising his description of Mr. Sharon as a man of peace.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Jun 2003)

David Norris: We should ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come to the House and explain the arbitrary transfer of jurisdiction under the equality legislation from the Equality Authority to the District Court, an astonishing development. The District Courts, in their wisdom, have indicated that they regard the licensed vintners as having used this tactic as an attempt to subvert the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Jun 2003)

David Norris: It would also be a very good idea in relation to those parties with armed wings. I congratulate the Senator and support her in that regard.