Results 3,741-3,760 of 6,030 for speaker:Brendan Ryan

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Feb 2006)

Brendan Ryan: More people are at work but it is extraordinary that in a country in which the numbers in employment are increasing, the numbers unemployed are also increasing. In addition, the number of people leaving the workforce is increasing and it is substantially higher than four years ago. The second issue is that approximately two thirds of workers in non-unionised workforces would join a union if...

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Feb 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I am happy with its spirit.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Feb 2006)

Brendan Ryan: No, I am not. However, I will not make an issue of it. It is badly worded and should be rewritten.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Feb 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I do not think the world will fall down if we do so. In conclusion, I note a couple of motions under Government business. No. 11 relates to the obligation of carriers to communicate passenger data. The Labour Party will be most unhappy if that motion is passed without debate.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Feb 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I am referring to No. 11 and the obligation on carriers to communicate passenger data, which is a very important issue. It is worthy of a proper debate and I hope the Leader will not attempt to pass it without one. In fairness to her, she usually does not do so. However, I want to put on record that the Labour Party would be opposed to this happening.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2005: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I was not going to participate in this debate as I have a few other things to do but a couple of comments that were made enticed me into the Chamber. It needs to be reiterated that the best Minister for Finance the country has had in recent years in terms of economic growth and low inflation was Deputy Quinn. The average rate of inflation during his term as Minister was lower than obtained...

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2005: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I would not dispute that. The facts nevertheless speak for themselves in respect of Deputy Quinn's term as Minister for Finance. Having said that, it is now a question of how to manage success. Nobody is more delighted than I am that we are now talking about managing success rather than about the dreadful period of the 1980s when we were managing failure. I will not waste time trying to say...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: Not true.

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: IFA election posters are still decorating the countryside.

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: Mr. Murdoch.

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I second Senator Brian Hayes's amendment to the Order of Business. It is extraordinary that the Government has got the notion that this is the way to deal with the issue. This is not the way we have dealt with the issue of the appointment of an ombudsman in the past. An hour is a reasonable time for debate on the issue. Why will it take 12 months for these three well-qualified people to get...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: There was a report in this morning's newspaper about a person who was arrested and brought to Mountjoy Prison for non-payment of a traffic fine. This involved six gardaí arriving at the house at 6 a.m. I wonder how our police force is organised if a 6 a.m. invasion of somebody's house by six gardaí is the appropriate way to deal with the non-payment of a parking or speeding fine. We need to...

Seanad: Employment Issues: Motion. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: The Government had our support in allowing free access to this country for citizens of the accession states. However, we did not support it when it decided to load the dice against them by telling them that they would have no access to social assistance until they had been here for two years, therefore putting them in a non-negotiating position with employers. Happily, and not for the first...

Seanad: Employment Issues: Motion. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I always know that the Labour Party has raised an issue that makes life uncomfortable when Senator Leyden starts accusing us of playing politics.

Seanad: Employment Issues: Motion. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I move: That Seanad Éireann calls on the Government to: —develop and extend the registered employment agreements model which gives binding status to agreements reached at sectoral and employment level; —devote increased resources to the labour inspectorate with more effective enforcement and prosecution of offences; —ensure enforcement and Revenue inspection of the sub-contractor and...

Seanad: Employment Issues: Motion. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I have another meeting to attend.

Seanad: Strategy for Men's Health: Statements. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I rushed up here because I did not realise that I was contributing so soon, but I am a bad example of how men should look after their health. I should probably have proceeded at a more leisurely pace but I was afraid that we would have no speakers. I had not seen that Senator Feeney was present. When it comes to health matters, there is no doubt that men are a dreadful bunch of cowards. They...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: Some 40% are afraid to join a trade union as we saw last week. They would represent 70% if employers did not discriminate against trade unionists.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: The Cabinet runs the Seanad.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: There is no independence.