Results 23,081-23,100 of 23,109 for speaker:Paddy Burke

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: What about the pension fund?

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: I support Senator Phelan's amendment. I am amazed at Senator Mansergh, who said earlier that he worked in the Department of Finance.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: Higher up again.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: Perhaps the Senator chose to ignore the content of this amendment. Public private partnerships are set up to make money, no private company would go into partnership to lose money. Some of the pensions fund should be used to make money.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: Perhaps there are too many agencies but we should not lose out for the sake of making a decision, no matter if it is the pensions board or this agency that makes it. It would be too bad if we cannot use the money that we are providing in the pensions fund to invest in projects that will make money.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: This agency will have the best financial expertise available from one of the most progressive countries in the world. If there is so much advice available, surely those people would be able to use our pensions fund in the best possible projects. They will have a choice. I cannot see why Senator Mansergh opposes this amendment. The agency will adjudicate on all public private partnership...

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: I support Senator Phelan and agree it would not be much of a leap. When public private partnerships are in place, whether for water, sewerage of otherwise, the contracts will be for 20 to 25 years. Local accountability will be taken away. Heretofore, local authorities had annual estimates where local councillors could ask the county manager for a report regarding water, sewerage or otherwise....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. There are certain sections of the Bill that I do not agree with but, in general, I give it a guarded welcome. The Minister stated that Part V of the Bill was unworkable. There is no doubt about that. Every Senator on this side of the House before the last general election said so. The Deputies in the Dáil said it was unworkable. Deep down, every Fianna...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: This was a massive stroke of genius on the part of Fianna Fáil because it took on board all the people on the social housing list and they offered their support. They felt that Fianna Fáil would back them all the way and set aside 20% of every development for social housing. What has happened? They now have to face reality in relation to this Bill and the fact that the Bill Fianna Fáil...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Swimming Pool Projects. (10 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State. I do not want to labour the point about this swimming pool project but Castlebar is a progressive town of approximately 12,000 people. It was recently announced that it was to be a hub town, which we welcome. The existing swimming pool was installed in the late 1970s when some would say it was outdated, never mind today. While we appreciate that much has been...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: I again ask Leader to arrange a debate on the BMW region. I cannot understand the Leader's reluctance to arrange such a debate because that region forms part of her constituency. In light of the many cutbacks that have been made, it is important to see whether the BMW region is getting its fair share of the cake. When is it proposed to take the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill?

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Dec 2002)

Paddy Burke: This is yet another area where the Government has done a U-turn.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (27 Nov 2002)

Paddy Burke: Would the Senator not use Colonel Dermot Earley?

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (27 Nov 2002)

Paddy Burke: We failed.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (27 Nov 2002)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House and wish him well with this Bill. Bord Fáilte has provided a great service to the country since 1955, as has CERT since 1963. On the last occasion the Minister was in the House I mentioned interaction between Government agencies, including the Irish Trade Board and Bord Fáilte, promoting the tourism product and other products in the United States and...

Seanad: Report on Immigration Policy: Statements. (27 Nov 2002)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State and wish him well with his new portfolio. I also welcome this report and congratulate those who travelled to many countries to complete it. As previous speakers said, the various county organisations have done tremendous work with emigrants all over the world.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Nov 2002)

Paddy Burke: I support Senator Higgins in his call for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to state why he has refused a request by Amnesty International to inspect prisons. Considering the 70% cut in funding to the western investment fund, I call on the Leader to arrange an immediate debate on the BMW region.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Nov 2002)

Paddy Burke: I thought the reason was the Leader's reluctance to comment on the serious cutbacks.

Seanad: Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (21 Nov 2002)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, and wish him well in his portfolio. In his contribution the Minister of State said we are one of three countries which has not ratified this agreement. Is this agreement being rushed or is there some reason the other countries have agreed it? Do they consider they are getting more from it than we are? As most speakers have said, conservation...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Nov 2002)

Paddy Burke: In view of the serious cutbacks in the Estimates and in the national development plan I ask Leader of the House to arrange for a debate on the BMW region. I have sought this debate on numerous occasions. We need a debate now because the BMW region is not getting its fair share of the cake and there are drastic cutbacks in that area.