Results 3,101-3,120 of 4,936 for speaker:Diarmuid Wilson

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: The winners will be the officials because, as the Minister is clearly aware, while it is easy for officials to fob off members of the public, they cannot easily fob off public representatives. I feel sorry for the Minister because officials have been trying for decades to achieve this outcome but previous Ministers did not fall for it. Unfortunately, the Minister has fallen for it in its...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: I am disappointed because I hold the Minister in high personal regard. He is an excellent Minister, albeit one who has made some serious mistakes which we do not have time to discuss. The winners in this process are the officials and the losers are the citizens.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: I do not wish to detain the Minister given that we must dispose of a large number of amendments by tomorrow. I concur with Senator Jim Walsh's comments on the current position and the circumstances that will prevail if this Bill is passed. The word in the Title on which I propose to concentrate is "Local". As a result of the Bill, County Cavan, the county with which I am most familiar,...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: It is related to local administration.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: Some colleagues who are newcomers to democracy may have a difficulty with freedom of speech. I will not take lectures from Senator Cullinane on whether this is a Second Stage speech or Committee Stage contribution on an amendment. While the Senator may not like listening to me and may get upset with my contribution, I will insist on making my point if he does not mind.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: We are discussing a Bill that allegedly reforms local government. It is not a local government Bill because when it becomes law, the elections that will be held will not be local. Under the proposed Cavan-Belturbet electoral area, people from Blacklion, a village in the west of the county on the Leitrim border, will vote in the same electoral area as people 40 miles away in Cavan town. Are...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: I may be straying slightly.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: I will conclude on a final point, which may give Senators a clue as to the reason Senator Cullinane appears to favour the legislation. The document known as Putting People First, which was meant to put the Labour Party first, will put Sinn Féin first in the east of the country because of the unpopularity of the Labour Party.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: I congratulate the Minister and his party colleagues on providing for the demise of the Labour Party. As a result, the vote of other parties, including Senator Cullinane's party, will increase. That may give a clue as to the reason the Senator is in favour of the Bill and wants to stifle debate.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: I second Senator Daly's amendment to the Order of Business. In respect of NAMA, for a Member of this House of the stature of the Government Chief Whip to suggest that somebody raises a matter of national importance that is in the public interest merely to milk it for publicity, is outrageous. He should withdraw that remark, which is outrageous.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: Senator Coghlan is in danger of inheriting the name of "NAMA Coghlan" if he is not very careful.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: I genuinely support Senator Norris's request that Pope Francis be invited to address this House. He is a world leader as well as leader of the Catholic Church to which I belong. In the short time since he became pope, he has been a breath of fresh air to many people throughout the world, not just Catholics, and I wholeheartedly support the suggestion by Senator Norris that he be invited to...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: What about the closure of our embassy to the Vatican?

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: Under Standing Order 62(3)(b) I request that the division be taken again other than by electronic means.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: We have to take into consideration a person's ability to pay. In that regard, we should consider introducing in the Bill whatever mechanism is needed to assess that ability. How will the free allowance for households be decided upon? Will someone living alone in a four-bedroom house have the same allowance as a family with four children in a similar dwelling, even though there is no...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: The eminent professor of economics came up with that figure based on the amount of money it takes to process water and the number of households in the country. The figure seems to be a realistic one. When one combines that with the famous standing charge we dealt with earlier, it will be quite a considerable bill for a normal household. For a household with a substantial number of people...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: I move amendment No. 35: In page 12, after line 36, to insert the following:“(10) That a full and comprehensive table of all monies transferred to and expended by Irish Water for the purposes of this subsection shall be published annually providing a county by county breakdown.”.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: Under Standing Order 62(3)(b) I request that the division be taken again other than by electronic means.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: I join my colleagues in commending the leader of our group, Senator Darragh O'Brien, on highlighting the concerns that have been raised with him privately regarding the way NAMA conducts its business. While I appreciate Senator Coghlan's comment that these are mere allegations, it is unfortunate-----

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Diarmuid Wilson: While I appreciate Senator Coghlan's concerns, I emphasise that every Member of this House who comes into possession of information of major significance to this State has an obligation to put it on the record of the House and hand it on to the appropriate authorities.