Results 32,481-32,500 of 33,049 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Dec 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: I join colleagues in welcoming the debate that will take place on the Murphy report and its conclusions. In the last two weeks the Ombudsman for Children published a report on the number of separated children in the country and the way in which they are being cared for. While I hope none of those children has been subject to the abuse documented in the Murphy report, it is very clear they...

Seanad: Pre-Budget Outlook: Statements (1 Dec 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Mansergh, back to the House. I listened to the contributions of Senators Boyle and Hanafin and was struck by the number of times I heard them say there is no alternative and there is nothing that could be done differently. Listening to them I realised that not only is the economy under the vicious assault of which we are...

Seanad: Pre-Budget Outlook: Statements (1 Dec 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: -----but I was sadly disappointed. While he talked about bringing the country back from the brink, he failed to acknowledge the role played by the Government in bringing the country to the brink in the first place. The need to stand and accept pain is quoted repeatedly. I have worked in the real economy and was fortunate to do so for many years. I have been through it all - creating and...

Seanad: Pre-Budget Outlook: Statements (1 Dec 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: I meant coherence between political parties.

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Minister for making this change. The display of licences was discussed in the House and we put forward the case for the change. We had a similar discussion on the display of timetables for passenger services. I felt it was very important that there be an obligation on providers of public bus passenger services to display timetables. I am glad the Minister has made the change...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: Amendment No. 3 is welcome but I have a question for the Minister thereon. Based on his response, he envisages that the Joint Committee on Transport will be the committee with an input. Would it be worth making a change to allow for more than one Oireachtas committee to have an input, or at least thinking about allowing this? The Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Minister for his consistent approach to legislation in the House, his willingness to listen to points that have been made and to act upon them. Our party voted against the Bill in the Seanad and the Dáil because of our belief that we could do more to get better value for the money that is being spent in this area and to introduce choice in how bus services are provided. That...

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (26 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: I want to make a broad point on this. These amendments are nearly as long as the legislation we discussed on Second Stage last week. The legislation before the House last week was about two particular points: the exemption of accounting standards for limited periods of time and the appointment of company inspectors and the liability to the State as a result. We are making changes in those...

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (26 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: I have a question on that. I may have missed it in the Minister of State's contribution, and apologies if I did——

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (26 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for his forbearance. I may have missed it in the Minister of State's contribution, and apologies if I did, but could he explain the effect of amendments Nos. 3 and 4? What is the effect of deleting "£250,000,", and" in amendment No. 3 and "£250,000."." in amendment No. 4? It appears to me that it is being reinserted.

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (26 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: Unlike Senator O'Toole, this is a new area for me and I found the debate on this Bill very interesting. It was brought home to me when I was preparing for Second Stage. I came across a company that reported its annual profits under one accounting regime and then under another, all being part of the same annual report, for some reason. There was a €300 million difference in terms of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: As I listened to the contributions from all sides of the House on the need for a debate on the floods and the crisis facing our country I was reminded of a remark I heard last night by one of our finest novelists, Joseph O'Connor. He said on RTE last night that hope is the habit we need to acquire. This was brought home to me by the descriptions by my colleagues of the awful conditions so...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: ——given the number of debates we have had about State action taking place in this area as a result of the malpractice that took place in the banking sector? Third, can the Deputy Leader guarantee that in the event of a social partnership arrangement being put in place between the Government and the different unions, the Government will immediately initiate a debate on the arrangement in...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: I welcome the Minister back to the House. This appears to be a sensible amendment and follows the discussions we had here at an earlier sitting of the House. I have two questions for the Minister. First, in the text that is being amended, the word "or" will now disappear. The original text included the words "public bus service will operate, or". It then went into paragraph (c) to state...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (26 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: Okay.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: On a point of order, why are we being asked to adjourn until Wednesday rather than Tuesday? I understand the Dáil will sit on Tuesday but the Acting Leader informs us that the Seanad will not. We should be given an explanation as to why that is the case.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: On a point of order, the RTE website reported that the House would not sit next Tuesday before Senators were informed. Why is the House not sitting on Tuesday?

Seanad: Local Authority Housing (19 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: I welcome the Minister of State. The matter I am raising falls under the responsibility of his Department and I know he is aware of the issue, which is the future of the O'Devaney Gardens regeneration project. This is one of the large-scale regeneration projects located across Dublin. It is in central Dublin and was one of the lead public-private partnership projects that suffered enormous...

Seanad: Local Authority Housing (19 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Minister of State for his response and for his concluding comment.

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Second Stage (19 Nov 2009)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes.