Results 26,341-26,360 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Today's job losses in Aviva point to the failure of the Government's jobs initiative. Fianna Fáil is proposing something the Government can do to keep jobs in major towns by confirming that the barracks will not close. The 700 men and women of our Defence Forces who are stationed in these barracks do an excellent job for the country at home and abroad. The Leader acknowledged this in his...

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: If Fine Gael and Labour Senators believe the Government is not governing the country they are not worthy of sitting in this House or the other House. They must make up their minds.

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The Minister of State, Deputy Penrose, said in Mullingar that this would be a red line issue. I welcome the fact that he said that. The rebuff of Mr. Gay Mitchell, MEP, to Deputy Penrose was insulting to the Minister of State and to the people of Mullingar. If Government Senators respect the armed forces and the work they do, they will support the motion tabled by the Fianna Fáil group.

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: If they respected the Defence Forces they would certainly not have tabled an amendment such as that tabled by them this evening, which is purely arrogant. Arrogance is already beginning to show in the Administration. We heard the great 100 days pronouncements of "no income tax increases and no social welfare cuts". We have already had social welfare cuts. Fuel allowances to thousands of...

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The truth hurts sometimes.

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: What is the Government afraid of? Is it afraid of telling the 700 soldiers and their families what it is really planning to do? The supposed purpose of these Houses is to represent the people.

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The purpose of the Opposition is to table valid questions on behalf of concerned citizens.

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The concerned citizens in this case have defended our State through thick and thin.

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Government Senators have the audacity to table such an amendment and the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach had the audacity to give such a response. I am not easily insulted. This is an insult to the members of the Defence Forces. If Government Senators put their money where they mouths are they will accept the motion tabled by Fianna Fáil. The Government should, at the...

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government did nothing.

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I hope the Government will have a better track record in dealing with the Defence Forces. How can Government Senators support the Government amendment to the motion? It is an insult.

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: That is none of Senator O'Keeffe's business.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: We did not say that.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Why?

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator's party does not want to be blamed for the cuts made.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator is washing his hands of the matter.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: It took Sinn Féin a long time to come up with that excuse.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: We have produced two Bills-----

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: -----one of which was voted down by the Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: It would have protected the principal private residence.