Results 2,641-2,660 of 4,787 for speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products Availability (27 Sep 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I appreciate the answer and the fact that the Minister of State has outlined the process involved, but what the families really need to know is when it will happen. I know that the Minister of State may not be in a position to give me that answer now, but I ask her to impress on the Minister the importance of this matter. I understand the HSE has yet to make the final decision, but I think...

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (4 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I move amendment No. 19:In page 26, lines 30 to 37, to delete all words from and including "of—" in line 30 down to and including line 37 and substitute the following:"of a sibling of the student concerned attending or having attended the school.". This section of the Bill has been dubbed "the Clongowes section", which is probably accurate. It states: "...a parent or grandparent of...

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (4 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Yes.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I ask the Leader to put on the record of the House the exact nature of the relationship between this Government and Deputy Michael Lowry, who has a criminal conviction for tax irregularities.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I found the Taoiseach's comments about this relationship at the weekend quite disturbing. I ask the Leader to inform the House exactly what support arrangements the Government has with Deputy Lowry, and indeed to publish those details. We would all be interested to know the exact nature of that relationship. I noticed that the confidence and supply agreement was flittered around the place...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Surely that agreement, which considers water to be more important than anything else, especially housing and child poverty, contains all the answers to the water shortages and water problems we are having in this country at present.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Minister is busy.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Sorry, I need to clarify. The Leader has not answered my question. I asked him about the relationship between Deputy Michael Lowry and this Government. He has not answered the question.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I will be as quick as possible. I have a level of sympathy for the Minister in trying to defend the process in which he clearly does not believe. He has been compared to Archbishop McQuaid but he reminds me of the Maroon 5 band in that insufferable World Cup advertisement, which sings "Don't worry about a thing. Every little thing is going to be all right". If the Minister was part of the...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: This is a circus and it is really embarrassing. I am glad the journalists have all gone home. A reputable European body has issued a report stinging in its critique of this legislation. It is only in front of us because the Fr. Ted alliance feels strongly about it. There are bits of this report in Sunday newspapers and in front of me. The Minister has said he has not seen it but again he...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: We could then have a much more informed debate. The Minister will be able to go back to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, who clearly feels very strongly about this and who I half-expected to be sitting in that chair instead of Deputy Flanagan when I came in this evening-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Let us do this properly. If the Minister was part of the Opposition, along with the Fine Gael representatives, it is just the kind of exercise that they would rail against. This is important legislation being railroaded through despite eminent European bodies raising serious questions about it. Fine Gael is meant to be the party of law and order so let us do this properly.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I join the calls for a debate on education, in particular, teacher shortages and pay equalisation. I understand there is an ongoing conversation between the teacher unions and the Minister for Education and Skills and the Department. To refresh the memories of some Members in this Chamber who may have forgotten, pay inequality started on 1 January 2011, prior to the 2011 general election....

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: We need video assisted refereeing.

Seanad: Education (Digital Devices in Schools) Bill 2018: Second Stage (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I welcome the Minister to the House again. I join other Members in congratulating Senator Craughwell on the introduction of this Bill, which has facilitated a conversation in this House on the nature of digital safety in the classroom and in schools. It is very easy to support this Bill because of the intent behind it. One hears stories from teachers and parents on the nature of...

Seanad: Education (Digital Devices in Schools) Bill 2018: Second Stage (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Senator Buttimer can speak for himself.

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I welcome the Minister of State. I find his contribution interesting. My problem with the Fine Gael-led Government's view on the world is that it wants to be a Government not for all of the people but for about 40% or 50% of the people. There is this idea it wants to convince people they are over-taxed and that, as the Minister of State said in his statement, public services are in need of...

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: USC brings in over €4 billion a year. I wish we had that kind of fiscal reality statement from the Government instead of constantly giving this impression of a tax burden - "we are over-taxed", "squeezed middle", "reduce tax", and so on. Why is the 12.5% corporation tax rate the unspeakable sacred cow of Irish politics? Why is it that the absolute sacred cow of Finnish politics,...

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The record will reflect the fact I did not interrupt any other speaker.

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I will repeat the point. We have been wounded as a country over the ten years since the collapse of the economy.If we are expected to be bought off with talk of public sector reform, the overspend on public services the Minister of State is indicating and the nonsense about the rainy day fund at a time when the country is still wounded, I make the political charge that the Minister of State...