Results 21,321-21,340 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: He had no answer.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator will notice the fact that the Government does not deliver.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 13, the Public Services and Procurement (Social Value) Bill 2015, be taken before No. 1. Over the past number of weeks we have seen people in hospitals and particularly accident and emergency departments who are waiting on trolleys and various services. All of us are aware of the multiplicity of issues, and I know there has been...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I want to indicate to the Leader at the outset that we agree with the taking of the earlier signature motion to facilitate the banking inquiry. My colleague, Senator Diarmuid Wilson, took that Bill last week and while we still believe an independent, Leveson-type inquiry would have been a better way forward, we want to ensure that the inquiry can get on with the work it needs to do. There...

Seanad: Possible Sale of Aer Lingus: Statements (28 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I appreciate the Minister's decision to come to the House at short notice. I also understand the reason the time provided for contributions has been further reduced, although three minutes is not sufficient for me to discuss all the issues I would like to raise. I assume Senators will have further opportunities to discuss this issue in more detail. The Fianna Fáil Party's position on...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (28 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: It is an honour for me to say some words of appreciation for John on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group. I wish we were not in the position to have to do this. I welcome Kathleen and the family here, and also my colleagues, Deputies Éamon Ó Cuív and Dara Calleary and former Senator Rory Kiely. It is a sad day for us, but is important that we mark John and his contribution...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: It is.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: What does the Senator want to ban today?

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The only language he condemned was the use of the phrase referring to the President as "a midget". That was it. He did not ask anybody to withdraw calling him "a parasite" or anything like that. If Senator Norris was Uachtarán na hÉireann today - fair play to him for standing in the election campaign - I would expect the same respect and courtesy to be shown to him, or to whoever...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I just want this on the record, but am not here to debate the issue with Senator Norris, for whom I have great regard. What is happening in this State is a disgrace. I am talking as someone who voted against the Water Services Bill. All of us have different views on this issue, but that is not the way to protest. Certainly, crossing a line through that type of protest against the...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes. In regard to the new Central Bank rules published on mortgages, I welcome to some degree the slight change the Central Bank has made in regard to a 10% deposit on mortgages up to €220,000. However, I believe that 20% for mortgages above that is far too restrictive, particularly in urban areas. In Dublin, for example, look at what we are asking first-time buyers to save,...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Leader for facilitating the statements on Aer Lingus. It is only half an hour, but it is a start, and I will talk about that in a minute. On my own behalf and on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group in the Seanad, I condemn the protest, for want of a better phrase, that President Higgins was confronted with and the abuse that was hurled at him.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: It is a disgrace. President Higgins is our Head of State. These people, who were, apparently, protesting on behalf of workers, what they said to him and the manner in which they went about their protest was disgusting and despicable. The President represents all the people of Ireland, as a custodian of our Constitution. He had no choice but to sign the water services legislation. That is...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: He did.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: We kept 25%.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: An amendment has been tabled on No. 2 in the names of Senators Power and Wilson, which I believe is in good faith and will help the inquiry. I hope the Government will see its way to accepting it, although I am sure the Minister will address that at the correct time. I wish to raise the issue of the potential sale of the Government's stake in Aer Lingus and the takeover approach that is...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: We have made ours already.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jan 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Leader for outlining the business of the day. As he mentioned, Fianna Fáil Members have a Private Members' motion relating to Irish Water and water services in this country. I ask people to have a look at what the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, stated in the debate prior to Christmas. This will afford people time to...