Results 2,221-2,240 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: Food Safety Standards: Statements. (5 Jul 2011)

Jim Walsh: The Senators have three minutes each.

Seanad: Food Safety Standards: Statements. (5 Jul 2011)

Jim Walsh: I thank the Senator for doing so because it will ensure that Senator Kathryn Reilly, who has been here for-----

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2011)

Jim Walsh: There are two issues involved in this area. The first is the period a person who is declared bankrupt must serve before they can get back into active participation in the economy. I was interested in what Senator Burke had to say on that. I might or might not disagree with him in normal times but we are in unprecedented territory. None of us has seen it in our lifetime and as many Members...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2011)

Jim Walsh: I am disappointed by the Minister's response. I will not say the reduction from 12 to five years is immaterial but it is relatively insignificant. The automatic discharge at 12 years is a significant step. I welcome the fact that the Minister has said he will look at reducing that. I note that the Minister laid heavy emphasis on people who had been living a lavish lifestyle and may have...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2011)

Jim Walsh: I wish to raise an issue raised by Deputy Tom Fleming in the Lower House last week in connection with the payment of more than €1 million to one particular consultant and other high payments of six-figure sums to others. The answer given by the Minister for Health was far from satisfactory. He said that while it would be inappropriate for any Minister to intervene directly in matters...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: I second Senator Daly's amendment to the Order of Business on the introduction of the NAMA transparency legislation. I support the call by Senators Quinn and Ó Murchú on the introduction of the 116000 hotline number. We have been dilatory in introducing that. The European Commission provided for the introduction of that number for all European states in 2007. A great number of children,...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: I do. Will the Leader arrange for a Minister to come to the House for a discussion on the matter, given that the rates of pay for top executives in the public sector will not exceed €4,000 per week? Will the Minister consider imposing a maximum fee charge on barristers of €800 per day? This needs to be done. Unfortunately, politicians and the public apparatus seem to be totally...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: Why?

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: On a point of order, will the Leader indicate who sets the business of this House? Is it the House or some external Department or Minister who sets it?

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: That is an argument for extending the time available to debate the Bill.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: It is not that it is not ideal. It is deplorable.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: The Senator said as much when she was on this side of the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: The Senator said it was not ideal

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: Saying it is far from ideal is very different from saying it is deplorable.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: I support the call made by Senator Darragh O'Brien for a change to the Order of Business. It is regrettable that at such an early stage in the Government's life it should take this House for granted. There is an opportunity for Members of the House to stand together to show its independence of the Executive. Any Bill, particularly one dealing with the Department of Finance, given its...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: Where does the Bill say that?

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: The general sentiment in the Seanad is a welcome of the principle of the Bill, which is to create greater focus on public expenditure. There has not been at any time a great record of control of public expenditure. Those who were around in the 1980s will recall the Government, led by the late Taoiseach, Dr. Garret FitzGerald, failed to arrest public expenditure resulting in the country...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: What we are trying to do is ensure that this legislation achieves not alone what we want it to achieve but what the public are crying out for it to achieve. If we fail to do that, the consequences will be horrendous. This year, we will borrow €18 billion to meet the deficit which children of future generations will be saddled with paying. If this legislation is not about achieving a...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: I am discussing the amendment, which is about setting targets. I am dealing with targets on privatisation, Jody. With regard to the issue of privatisation, a speaker referred to the dysfunctionality of the public service. Within recent days, staff at the Passport Office have been too busy to answer telephones due to a backlog. "Please call again" is the request. This has gone on for days...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Jim Walsh: On a point of order, I apologise for doing that and I do not usually do it. However, it annoys me extremely when I hear whoever is in the Chair being prompted by an official. That is not the job of an official.