Results 3,801-3,820 of 5,750 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jan 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I want to discuss the serious issue of social media. My colleague and the Leader's colleague, Senator Noone, was charged with the responsibility of chairing the all-party Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. She did it as a professional and worked hard. It is probably a bit unfair of me to mention her while she is sitting here in the Chamber. She was subjected to the...

Seanad: Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (17 Jan 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I ask the Senator to finish now.

Seanad: Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (17 Jan 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I understand that but in fairness to everybody else-----

Seanad: Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (17 Jan 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I really have to ask the Senator to finish up now. I am sorry.

Seanad: Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (17 Jan 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: She can have the Senator's time. That is fair enough.

Seanad: Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (17 Jan 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: Order please. Senator Buttimer has ten minutes.

Seanad: Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (17 Jan 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I thought long and hard before coming here to speak tonight. I speak as the brother of eight sisters, the son of a mother, the husband of a wife and the father of a daughter. I see it has gone viral already that while my colleague, Senator Kelleher, was speaking, I tried to shut her up. I do not know anyone in the world who is not pro-life. Every single one of us cherishes life and...

Seanad: Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (17 Jan 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: The same applies to people on the pro-choice side. Do not send me messages. I am an old fella of 64 years, and I can make up my own mind. If I need advice, I will talk to the women I love and they will help me. It breaks my heart when I think of some of the girls I knew growing up who had children. Once they had a child, they were called a whore because they were not married. Let get...

Seanad: Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (17 Jan 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: We will make our own choice in our own way. It is painful to make the choice. It is not easy on anybody on any side, but let us make it in our own way. Let us talk to the people we trust and love. To the men who support either side, I have great news - they will never be pregnant and they will never have to make the decision. When I was growing up, I knew one man who, as far as I knew,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union: Discussion (17 Jan 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the ambassador and apologise that I was a little late getting here. The eyes of Europe are on Bulgaria right now as it takes over the Presidency. I wish it well. I am sure Bulgaria will rise to the occasion and it will all go fine. On the issue of Brexit, as the ambassador is aware, we got through phase one as a solid cohesive unit in Europe. As we move through the other stages...

Seanad: Public Service Pay and Pensions Bill 2017: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I side with Senator Conway-Walsh. A good job was done in negotiating the agreement but I was president of the Teachers Union of Ireland, TUI, when the first FEMPI was negotiated. It was tough going. Croke Park II collapsed and we went on to make the Lansdowne Road agreement. There was always deep-seated resentment at the fact that the FEMPI legislation brought in punitive measures for...

Seanad: Public Service Pay and Pensions Bill 2017: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: For clarity, that figure of €60,000 is not the pension amount, but rather the pensionable pay prior to retirement. Is that not correct? If that person was retiring with a pension of 50% of pensionable salary, the actual pension would be €30,000 rather than €60,000.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (13 Dec 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the Commissioner. I am sorry he is here when there is legislation going through the House and various committees are sitting, which means attendance is a bit low. I congratulate the Commissioner on the 30 years of the Erasmus programme. It has been a wonderful programme. The Commissioner pointed out that in Ireland our students have benefited well from it. It is a tremendous...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Yesterday the Minister launched a programme for mental health in schools and Kinsale Community School was in here. Somebody, somewhere should look at that school because it is an example of excellence in education. There is an attitude in the school and when I was a former union leader I tried to figure out what this was. Everybody has their shoulder to the wheel and takes responsibility...

Seanad: Permanent Structured Cooperation: Statements (13 Dec 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House today and setting out such a clear message on where we are going with PESCO. There has been much talk about the Government trying to ram through Ireland's participation in some kind of European army. It is important to put the record straight. First and foremost, let us discuss Ireland and its neutrality. We are a militarily...

Seanad: Permanent Structured Cooperation: Statements (13 Dec 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Senator, allow the Minister of State to reply.

Seanad: Permanent Structured Cooperation: Statements (13 Dec 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Let the Minister of State finish.

Seanad: Permanent Structured Cooperation: Statements (13 Dec 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Senator, please.

Seanad: Permanent Structured Cooperation: Statements (13 Dec 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Colleagues-----

Seanad: Permanent Structured Cooperation: Statements (13 Dec 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Through the Chair, colleagues, please.