Results 32,381-32,400 of 33,049 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Seanad: Banking: Statements (31 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Senator McFadden. When I was preparing for this debate, I took some time to read the Minister for Finance's statement on banking and the supplementary documentation supplied to the Dáil yesterday. As I was reading the main content of the document, my eye caught the legal notice on the first page. It states: None of the Minister for Finance, the Department of Finance, the National...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: I support Senator Coffey's call for a debate on the Dublin Docklands Development Authority and the report on it. I find myself strongly disagreeing with what Senator O'Toole said, that it appears at this stage that the political classes may have had nothing to do with it. Even before this report is published, we can already be clear about two points. First, the set-up of the Dublin...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: I move recommendation No. 16: In page 90, subsection (1), between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: "(b) in subsection (1)(a) in the definition of "group expenditure on research and development" by inserting the following after subparagraphs (i) and (ii): "(iii) expenditure (in this section referred to as 'relevant expenditure') on research and development incurred by a company which...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I was amused when he said he agreed with everything in the recommendation but could not accept it. I agree with all that the Minister of State has said, other than his refusal to accept the recommendation.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: We were doing so well until this point. I want to address some of the points raised by the Minister of State. This recommendation will help people to progress their ideas and encourage them to commercialise work that is under way. I know it is a good idea because people involved in this area have spontaneously suggested that it would help them do the kind of work we believe is important to...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to respond to a brief point. Senator O'Toole has raised a good point to which I refer. I wish to be generous on this matter because I sense from what the Minister of State has stated that there is an understanding that this could work. I wish to explore the matter to determine if progress is possible. I take a strong view of such matters and I have a love and appreciation of...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: I move recommendation No. 3: In page 90, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: "(b) in subsection (1)(a) in the definition of "group expenditure on research and development" by inserting the following after subparagraphs (i) and (ii): "(iii) expenditure (in this section referred to as 'relevant expenditure') on research and development incurred by a company which is a member of a...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (24 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: Senator Feeney in her call for a debate on the future of the Seanad conveniently ignores the fact that her party has been in control of the Seanad for the best part of 20 years and has not done a tap about reform.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (24 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: On the call for a debate on the role of politics, the media and the reshuffle yesterday, I call for a debate on the report of the innovation task force which was released last week. It is very important that it be debated in the House. It was all about rewarding loyalty in the past as opposed to having a vision for the future. It is already apparent to everyone that it was an opportunity...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (24 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: If this Taoiseach is not capable of producing the Departments or the people that are capable of giving hope to this country and driving innovation, we should be debating a report that was produced last week which lays out how this could be done. I support what my colleagues said about Anglo Irish Bank. We need to have a debate on what happened yesterday. We need to understand whether the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Second Stage. (24 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: As one Paschal follows another, I wish to pick up on some of the themes Senator Mooney mentioned. I wish to speak about one big area and then focus on a smaller one. Senator Mooney gave a very accurate overview of the economic environment in which Ireland is operating, which has important implications for the Finance Bill and the overall strategy it represents, about which I have some...

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: I support Senator O Brolcháin's call for a debate on Oireachtas reform, the future of this House and the way politics is conducted. I also want to make it clear to him that my party and I will not take any lectures on integrity from him or his party which has shown an avarice for political office that puts Fianna Fáil to shame.

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: A debate on the Passport Office is needed for the sake of those involved in providing public services. It is apparent that there is a crisis among the public in respect of those who work in the public service and the way services are provided. Before the events at the Passport Office, there were thousands of medical card and social welfare applications not being dealt with or handled....

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: We are not speaking about that.

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: The Leader knows all about that.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: I concur with the point made by Senator Bacik. I draw a parallel between this legislation and a Bill passed in the House around 18 months ago on the establishment of a national transport authority. The latter Bill included a clause prescribing that the new organisation publish a strategy to ensure the objectives set out in the legislation were implemented. Senators frequently raise the...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: The amendment appears to make eminent sense, but I have a question for the Minister as to why the figure of €15,000 is being included in the Bill. It is unusual to see an actual figure included in this legislation. I think it would have made sense to give the Minister the ability to state what the figure is and then perhaps revise it over time in line with his or his Department's...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: I have two questions in response to what the Minister has said and, in particular, his reference to a specified official which is a welcome and important part of the Bill. In regard to the reference to the armed forces, why is it necessary to specify that it should be a high-ranking officer? Could it not just be any member of the armed forces? How does one define who is a high-ranking...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: Senator Dearey summed up the difficulty we are facing in the delivery of health services, a matter that must be debated in the House, when he referred to the "absence of any political presence" in their delivery. The health and safety of our citizens are too important for it to be absent of any political presence, as is the spending of billions of euro of taxpayers' money. While a balance...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2010)

Paschal Donohoe: I ask the Leader to investigate claims made yesterday that, owing to the industrial action taking place in our public services, social welfare offices were closed to people wanting to collect social welfare benefits. I would like him to tell us the number of offices and the benefits that were affected by that industrial action. This is an important issue that the House should address....