Results 2,221-2,240 of 4,936 for speaker:Diarmuid Wilson

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: -----as is my job and the job of others in this House.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: I commend Senator Craughwell for the effort he has made during his short time in this House on behalf of the electorate of the majority of the Members of the Seanad. I will assist him, as I am sure my other colleagues will, in whatever way I can with the particular issues that he has raised. I compliment the Senator.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: The Leader will have to explain this to Senator Craughwell as it is all new to him.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, and apologise on behalf of my colleague, Senator Ó Murchú, who cannot be here to take Committee Stage. I fully agree with the amendment that Senator Ó Clochartaigh and his colleagues have put forward in regard to the appointment of the chairperson. I am not insinuating for one moment that the Minister would interfere...

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: I have no doubt she will be moving on to a more senior position in any further Cabinet, so it could be a different person in whom we may not have the same type of confidence not to interfere. The fact that individuals are on this board suggests to me they have the expertise to be members of the board. Therefore, I think it would be a vote of confidence in those people if they were to elect...

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: The Minister made reference to the fact that potential candidates for the board passed through an independent panel. Will she provide details on the members of that panel? She said that the chairperson must have the trust and confidence of the Minister. Does this mean the Minister does not have trust and confidence in the other members that have not been appointed chairman? As Senator...

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: To be fair to the Minister, she was hung out to dry by the Taoiseach on that concern. She was only in office for a very short time.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: The Minister cannot say it, but that is what happened. The Taoiseach hung her out to dry when she was only a day or two in the job.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: Not for the first time, I find myself in almost total agreement with Senator David Norris. It seems ridiculous that if a Member of this or the Lower House is qualified to sit on the board, that he or she is prevented from doing so. The one stipulation I would make is that Members of the Oireachtas who are board members should not receive expenses because they are paid as Members of this or...

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: They are not excluded and should not be because it is unconstitutional to exclude them from board membership. I urge the Minister to reconsider her decision to exclude eminently qualified Members of this or the Lower House from board membership of the National Concert Hall.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: I reiterate that I compliment the Minister for not preventing county councillors and members of local authorities from being members of the board.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: I reiterate that eminently qualified Members of this House and the Lower House should be eligible to sit on the board. Under section 10 of the Bill there is nothing to prevent someone who has been declared bankrupt from becoming a member of the board. However, section 11 states that if one is a member of the board and one becomes bankrupt then one must resign from the board. Could the...

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: We need some clarification.

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013: Second Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: I thank the Senator. She was right on the button - exactly eight minutes. Senator Bacik has eight minutes and an excellent example to follow.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: We are waiting for him to return to us.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: I join my leader in requesting an urgent debate on the crisis in the health system. I very much hope the Leader will be able to accede to the request. I also support very much the comments from my other colleague, Senator MacSharry, on today's announcement from Bank of Ireland on restrictions to be put in place on the amount of money that can be withdrawn or lodged manually within branches....

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: This relates not only to the way in which they deal with customers and the serious position in which they landed the State but even their policies beforehand. They have not been people-friendly for many years in their customer service and it is only a matter of time before the other main banks make the same announcement. I welcome that Senator Feargal Quinn has put together a Bill that...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, to the House.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Nov 2015)

Diarmuid Wilson: Amendments Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, form a composite proposal and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.