Results 20,541-20,560 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

David Norris: That would be unseemly.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

David Norris: Senator Ross, without interruption.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

David Norris: I am grateful to Senator Ross for sharing time. Unlike him, I do not have an instinctively negative reaction to the Bill. I understand that, for Cabinet and Government to work efficiently, certain measures must be taken. One must be practical about this and it is unrealistic, particularly in the context of Governments which remain in office for four or five years, to have confidential Cabinet...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

David Norris: I see. I did not mean any personal denigration of Senator O'Meara, for whom I have great admiration. I had expected that more prominence would have been given to the Seanad. I hope that the Labour Party will table its Bill as an amendment to this because we will then have the opportunity to consider the two alternatives and vote on them.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

David Norris: There is a lack of balance and the Government needs to convince legislators that there is a sense of proportion in the Bill. I deliberately emphasise that I have not shown myself to be totally antagonistic, but I understand the practical working reasons. From this position of sympathy with that of the Government, I ask that it examine closely and address the practical issues I have raised in...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

David Norris: Mr. Dunlop. Nobody is so idiotic to write down, "I got £150,000 from Mr. Dunlop". It is a complete waste of time and a cosmetic exercise intended to fool people into the notion that there is absolute accountability and transparency. It is irritating nonsense. The sooner we get rid of the pretentiousness associated with standards and address real standards in public life, instead of tricking...

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Feb 2003)

David Norris: I am grateful to Senator Brian Hayes for raising the matter of knife attacks and also to Senator Ormonde for calling for a wider debate. This is a very serious subject because it is so insidious. In the interview I heard, the Garda inspector said that often the people who had been stabbed did not realise how seriously they had been injured, and they managed to run away. He said that sometimes...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Feb 2003)

David Norris: The Senators are like two prima donnas.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Feb 2003)

David Norris: I am wounded.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Feb 2003)

David Norris: On the same issue, Tom Hyland, who would be known to many Members, was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Limerick yesterday. That was highly appropriate. Awarding honorary degrees is a type of honours system and it is the way in which we recognise the significant achievements of people such as Tom Hyland. He has done the country such an honour that it would be an imaginative...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Feb 2003)

David Norris: Yes, I would be very happy to have one. However, the Leader should draw the attention of the Minister to the fact that a task force for the area is needed as the problems are very complex.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Feb 2003)

David Norris: If the Leader does not mean to do so, perhaps it would be a good idea not to.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Feb 2003)

David Norris: On crack cocaine?

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

David Norris: I will oppose it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

David Norris: A moving Minister is better than a moving statue.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

David Norris: Will the Leader give the House some reassurance that we will consider amending the equality legislation in light of the information that has emerged today about the exploitation of people, particularly from the Philippines? A woman was interviewed earlier and the position she outlined was appalling. It emerges that when the legislation went through the two Houses, we excluded from its...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

David Norris: I would not dream of it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

David Norris: However, I would like to put it on record. I wish to comment on something said by Senator McCarthy, with whom I normally agree. He complained that a senior civil servant in the Department of the Environment and Local Government had to undergo the same process as everyone else. Of course he did.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

David Norris: I congratulate Senator White on having been appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs—

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

David Norris: —and express my condolences to Deputy Cowen—