Results 3,821-3,840 of 5,046 for speaker:Paschal Mooney

Seanad: Tourism Sector: Statements (Resumed) (21 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: At noon on Wednesday, 27 October 2010.

Seanad: Tourism Sector: Statements (21 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I also take the opportunity, as I have done on previous occasions on the Order of Business and during discussions on tourism, to state it was one of the most enlightened decisions by the Taoiseach to appoint Deputy Hanafin to this important position. I did not, cannot and will never understand why certain elements of the media took it upon themselves to not...

Seanad: Tourism Sector: Statements (21 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: The Senator is still celebrating.

Seanad: Tourism Sector: Statements (21 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: The Senator has a wee bit of congestion.

Seanad: Announcement on Banking by the Minister for Finance: Statements (20 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: I welcome the Minister of State. This is one of a series of regular debates on banking which are important in order that both sides of the House can receive the most up-to-date briefing and feed into the overall debate. The Minister had little choice on 30 September other than to continue the bank guarantee scheme which I understand will continue only until the end of this year. I also...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: Last week on the Order of Business I raised an issue relating to illegal downloading of music on the Internet which followed on a court case which the major international record companies had lost that had been taken the previous day. I asked the Leader what possible legislation could be introduced to address this gap, and I am repeating the request. I have had quite a significant amount of...

Seanad: Restructuring of Vocational Education Committees: Statements (19 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. There is a certain irony about the contributions made from all sides of the House which rightly have been defending the role, history and tradition of the VECs, as well as the massive contribution they have made to advancing the education system. This is because the teachers' union, the members of which receive their contracts from these same VECs, has...

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: I am very reluctant to engage with my colleague on the other side of the House on what is essentially a political charge. No Senator on this side spoke about the Government clapping itself on the back. Mr. Tony McQuinn, chief executive of the Citizens Information Board, who is neither a Minister nor speaking on behalf of Fianna Fáil stated: This is a very good day for people with...

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: The Senator should ask about all of the organisations which have obviously welcomed it.

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: It is all very well to make a charge, but the Senator should back it up and provide substance. It is a political charge and I accept that if I was sitting on her side of the House, I would probably do the same.

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: The Senator did.

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: That is why I said I was very reluctant to get involved because I am only wasting my time.

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: I am not in any way undermining the bona fides of Senator McFadden, but I will say this. I am the parent of a special needs child and believe I have particular experience of dealing with State agencies and others; therefore, I become somewhat sensitive from time to time. I know there are inadequacies in the system and that there are very serious difficulties and deficiencies. I am also...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: I could not help but think about the tooth fairy and I would be very interested to see Sinn Féin's detailed budget submission. Senator Doherty had some emotional talk about thousands of workers being put out on the dole and a slash and burn attitude. I do not believe that either the Government or the unions which have signed up to the agreement saw that as the ultimate end of this process....

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: In that context, I refer to the British Government's initiative in recent months to bring in from the business sector the head of Topshop. Essentially, he was brought in to do the job the Minister of State has outlined in the national procurement service. Some of his detailed analysis in his survey is extraordinary, particularly on the amount of waste in the public service. I will not take...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: -----that because it was not their money to spend, they could spend it. The ultimate justification is provided by the fact that the Minister set up a national procurement service. I recall the period in which I was a member of the Council of Europe between 2002 and 2007. The way the system worked - media commentators should take note - was that in respect of travel arrangements a contract...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: -----particularly, although I do not wish to single them out, the teachers' unions. I have been involved in education for a long time, as a member of a vocational education committee, and the unions which benefited the most from the benchmarking process were the teachers' unions because a range of assistant principal posts and other work titles was created. Not only were the postholders...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: Yes, it will.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: I join Senator Cannon in asking the Leader, yet again, to seriously consider arranging a debate on tourism, a matter raised prior to the summer recess. While I understand the difficulty of finding time for such a debate, as I have repeatedly said in the House, tourism is our second most important indigenous industry. It is as important as discussing the Croke Park agreement-----

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2010)

Paschal Mooney: -----perhaps even more so because it impacts on every town and village. However, I take Senator Cannon to task to some degree in that we now have an innovative and creative Minister in that portfolio, as evidenced by the numbers putting together plans to encourage more people to visit the country While I appreciate what the Senator said about the figures for the numbers who come here from...