Results 23,741-23,760 of 24,347 for speaker:Jerry Buttimer

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: Senator McDonald's Minister is blocking it. It is Government policy.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: The Leader should speak to his own party.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: Close all the hotels.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: Of what is the Leader afraid?

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: I support Senator Fitzgerald's call for a debate on the means by which the Oireachtas can take action to enhance community life. The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has not come to the House since the Seanad convened last summer. The Government has lost its authority on the matter of quality of life for citizens. Murder is commonplace and has begun to be accepted as...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: We will get the real story from Senator Leyden.

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Agency Workers) (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: Only when it suits.

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Agency Workers) (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: Well said.

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Agency Workers) (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, Deputy Conor Lenihan. The motion before the House is timely, given that we are in a period of economic uncertainty and there is a question mark over the competitiveness of the economy. I attended a SIPTU meeting recently in Cork which was very enlightening. I commend the Labour Party on the Private Members' Bill. There are two issues to be considered,...

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Agency Workers) (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: We have had growth in the economy on the back of both employers and employees. The key word here is "both". When the issue goes pear-shaped, do not blame the employee and write him or her off because that is not right. Let us not do that.

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Agency Workers) (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: It is important we have social partnership and the Fine Gael spokesman on finance, Deputy Richard Bruton, has raised some legitimate questions in this regard. I hope we have an informed debate. I ask SIPTU and the other agents involved for a real discussion on what it means to have social partnership in Ireland in 2008 because it is very important. Senator Donohoe referred to equality and...

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Agency Workers) (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: Senator Norris is going for the Dáil.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: Who writes the Minister's Sunday Independent articles?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire, an Teachta O'Dea. I feel a little like the fiddler on the roof, but having to pick a pocket or two. The Members opposite are probably smiling graciously at themselves and stating that they are in a great world. I was watching the "The Vicar of Dibley" the other night on television and I feel a bit like that here because the world in which I live is not the one...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: The 1980s were a time when the party opposite played politics with everything.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: When my party inherited the situation, we were financially prudent and when we left office we continued with the Tallaght strategy. Perhaps there could be consensus.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: The Finance Bill is presented to us at a questionable economic time. As Senator Hanafin correctly stated, the US economy is in recession even though President Bush says it is not. Senator Kelly referred to it. Perhaps we would say Ireland is in neutral or perhaps moving backwards, although the Members opposite might not agree. There are serious questions raised about the competitiveness of...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: I join Senator Fitzgerald in raising the issue of foreign travel by Ministers. I do not have any difficulty with Ministers going abroad, but the general populace would be appalled at the cost of VIP lounges and taxi fares. When RTE asked what benefit accrued from this, there was no answer from the Departments. Let us have accountability regarding foreign trips. By all means, let us use...