Results 201-220 of 445 for speaker:Eoghan Harris

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: It just has to be solvent.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: The three main components of the current crisis, or the long war as I call it, are the collapse in bank credit, the collapse in jobs and, perhaps most importantly, the collapse in the personal ability of people to discharge their debts. It is a pity that the debate initiated by Senators Fitzgerald and O'Toole should have been diverted into a sort of proto-NAMA debate. Time is precious so we...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: Twenty years ago, I defined social democracy as the free market mediated by the state. In other words, the state was like a tough referee trying to let the match run as freely as possible and only interfering when there were some serious professional fouls. That is roughly what social democracy means in practice. The reason I complain so much about party politics here is because I fear the...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: Thank you for that note of realism.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: Senators O'Toole and O'Reilly have identified two important areas which should be addressed. However, there are other important areas which have also not been addressed. I sat through the entire Second Stage debate on the NAMA legislation yesterday - from 10.30 a.m. until late last night - and I was struck by the sheer quality and value of the contributions made by Members. It was a far...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: It is not a point of order. I appeal to Senators. We had a rational and civilised debate all day. I appeal to them to stop descending to the level of a child's kindergarten party. We need order.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: Teach us our business.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: Jeremiah.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: She threw it away and lost it.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: I am not going to avoid the mechanics, but I want to remind the Seanad that NAMA is as much a political vehicle and part of the political economy as it is an economic vehicle. I agree with Senators MacSharry and Ross in their tributes to the Minister. As I stated in the House two years ago, we were at the beginning of a long war. In this war one needs a leader who is prepared to be seen at...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: The Minister should not give any hostages to fortune. None of us should give hostages to fortune. All the Minister can do is say, "This is the best I can do". We should give it a fair wind. That does not mean that there are not problems with the proposal. There are two problems with NAMA. They are both problems of public perception. The first is that it is seen as a bailout. To deal...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: The Senator can take his time.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: I do not care how belated the Taoiseach's conversion to reform of the public sector is as long as he continues his hard focus on the immediate need for reform of public pay. Reform of the public sector is a woolly type of concept. There are two aspects to reform of the public sector. At present, there is a need to address public sector pay to secure savings of €1.3 billion. Beyond that...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: It is approximately two years since the House, the political class and the public became aware that we were in the equivalent of a long war, an economic crisis of a magnitude not previously seen. The other night, I was watching Brendan Gleeson's powerful portrayal of Winston Churchill. Thankfully, the cringe factor of someone needing to apologise for an Irish actor playing Churchill was...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2009)

Eoghan Harris: The long debates on NAMA are not helping confidence. A tripartisan approach to the economic crisis would be better for democracy. A cross-party group or committee could be set up to make the difficult decisions, such as on public sector pay, whether more people should be brought into the tax net and what will be done about social welfare. The Parliament could be allowed to act as watchdog...