Results 3,261-3,280 of 3,707 for speaker:Brian O'Shea

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: Question 183: To ask the Minister for Finance his proposals to add the Higher Education Training Awards Council to the list of bodies to which the Freedom of Information Act 1997 applies (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15055/05]

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: Question 245: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the fairness of persons not being able to qualify for social welfare payments either due to the income of their spouses or to an inadequate number of social welfare contributions and who consequently cannot take up places on community employment or social economy schemes; his proposals in this regard; and if...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: Question 258: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his proposals to keep income limits for the diet supplement in line with increases in social welfare payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14924/05]

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: Question 283: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the proposals he has to simplify Irish language grammar to enable the language to survive (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15359/05]

Written Answers — Foras na Gaeilge: Foras na Gaeilge (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: Question 287: To ask the Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé sásta nach bhfuil oiread agus cent amháin á chaitheamh i ndáilcheantar Phort Láirge nó i réigiún an Oirdheiscirt i mbliana (sonraí tugtha) agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina leith. [14976/05]

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: Question 337: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if residency will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14913/05]

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: Question 362: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his proposals to meet the concerns of Alcohol Action Ireland regarding the Intoxicating Liquor (Codification) Bill 2005 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15159/05]

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: I move amendment No. 3: In page 5, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: "(a) to establish transparent criteria for the disbursement of funds under the Dormant Accounts Acts 2001 to 2005,". The intent of this amendment is simple. It would require the board — not the Minister — to establish the criteria for the disbursement of funds. As the legislation stands, the functions of...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: We will leave that to the people. I will not speculate on that question at this stage. A Fianna Fáil led Government will lay hands on this sort of loot in the run-up to a general election and use it to buy votes. The Minister minimised this line in our argument on Committee Stage. If a Minister can provide funding for a community project in his area, prior to the election, he or she will ask...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: Fianna Fáil invented the tactic. The Labour Party would know very little about it.

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: The Minister seeks to portray Fianna Fáil as a virtuous party that does not try to swing every deal it can in the State sector in the run-up to general elections to ensure it is elected. If that image is true I have been living in the wrong country for many years because the Fianna Fáil I know is quite different from that virtuous, almost monastic party the Minister wishes to present to us....

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: That is another argument I will not take up. There is more than one side to it. None of us can dispute the success of the CLÁR programme but the RAPID programme is another kettle of fish.

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: I do not wish to engage in this debate now. This is a changing situation. The Minister has offered spurious arguments about the virtuous Fianna Fáil Party and how Fianna Fáil Ministers will react to having €200 million to disburse in the run-up to a general election. He probably believes what he says but he would be in a small minority in holding the sincere view that Fianna Fáil will...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: A slush fund is one of the most effective weapons in the armoury of a Fianna Fáil led Government in the run-up to the next election. The Minister may say the Labour Party is expert in this but history will show who are the real experts. Nothing happening today convinces me that anything is changing in that regard. The only changes effected were introduced by the Labour Party which proposed...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: The Minister covered a lot of ground in his reply. He might be surprised to learn that I agree with him on much of what he said. One issue on which I always need to be convinced is whether the national pay agreements have added to the democratic process. They were introduced at a particular time when financial rectitude and discipline were very necessary. What is agreed between the Government...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: I am not replying. I will allow other Deputies to speak.

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: I do not want to go back over the same ground repeatedly. As my family got bigger and older, I converted what was a three bedroom house into a five bedroom house to cater for events as they unfolded. As it was designed as a three bedroom house, I ended up with four doors into my kitchen and two rooms with only one door into them. When something is designed to fulfil a specific purpose, it is...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, line 27, after "Act" to insert the following: "and the Freedom of Information Act 1997 shall apply to the Board as and from the establishment day". If so amended, section 2 would read "The Minister shall, by order, appoint a day to be the establishment day for the purposes of this Act and the Freedom of Information Act 1997 shall apply to the Board as and...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: A Leas-Cheann Comhairle——

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Brian O'Shea: Deputy Boyle put his finger on the main issue when he said we would all like this Bill to be withdrawn. God marches on the side of the big battalions and the Government has the numbers in terms of voting power on this occasion. We are reduced to seeking to influence the Government to make the best job of what is bad legislation. On the last occasion we debated this Bill the Minister made...