Results 4,681-4,700 of 4,708 for speaker:Neale Richmond

Seanad: Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement: Motion (5 Oct 2016)

Neale Richmond: There you go. It is the easy heckle.

Seanad: Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement: Motion (5 Oct 2016)

Neale Richmond: It seems to be the case that whenever people decide that they are going to take the self-righteous approach and put themselves on a moral pedestal, when one comes back with a counter argument, one sometimes gets booed. This is an institution of democracy and we are allowed to give our opinions. They are not exactly radical. I am not looking for us to turn our backs on certain sectors of...

Seanad: Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement: Motion (5 Oct 2016)

Neale Richmond: I am. Senator Norris, someone for whom I have huge respect who has been in this House for possibly longer than I have been alive, has no problem heckling others but does not like it when they strike back. Well, I am making a bit of a strike back. I have no problem standing up here. People will heckle me but I have no problem in saying that I am a politician from the centre right. I...

Seanad: Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement: Motion (5 Oct 2016)

Neale Richmond: There you go - more five-year-old behaviour. Half of the conspiracy theories dreamt up are done so because nobody is prepared to stick up for the other side of the argument. I am issuing a challenge to the Government, the leaders in Europe, business leaders, farm leaders and the vast majority of people this deal will benefit to get out there and tackle the naysayers and the misinformation....

Seanad: Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement: Motion (5 Oct 2016)

Neale Richmond: No, I absolutely trust the people. I trust them to elect representatives to govern on their behalf based on the mandate they sought. The mandate I sought, when I sought election at local authority and Seanad levels, was to deliver more jobs and a stronger economy. I absolutely disagree with this motion and I compel all sensible-thinking people from all parties and none to vote against it....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (4 Oct 2016)

Neale Richmond: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for his contribution. Unlike colleagues, I will not focus on the detail of Brexit, as it has been raised by the other members. The Taoiseach spoke about it in the Seanad last week and the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, will be in the Seanad tomorrow for statements on the issue. We have a fair idea what Ireland's key aims are going into the...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2016)

Neale Richmond: Sticking with the theme of higher education funding, I welcome the announcement earlier this week of €10.5 million in funding for Irish universities through four strands of the Erasmus+ funding scheme.Erasmus+ is one of many EU programmes that Irish universities, institutions and community groups are able to benefit from in terms of funding, such as Horizon 2020, the other streams of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Priorities of Slovak Presidency of European Council: Slovak Ambassador to Ireland (8 Sep 2016)

Neale Richmond: I thank the ambassador for his detailed and thorough presentation and congratulate him on the achievements thus far of the Slovak Presidency. I wish it well in its final months. I propose to raise three issues. I will not lie; I was slightly disappointed by some of the comments made by Prime Minister Fico on Brexit. In our discussion in private session before the ambassador joined us,...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: I join colleagues in wishing the Acting Leader all the best on her debut taking the Order of Business. I am sure she will do an outstanding job. I was concerned to read this morning in the paper a report on correspondence between a certain developer and the Governor of the Central Bank. It is all detailed under a freedom of information request. Where it raises a little concern is in...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Banking Licence Applications (20 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: I appreciate the opportunity to address the House this morning. On a procedural note, I would appreciate if the Cathaoirleach would look at allowing five or even six matters on the Commencement. I know a number of Senators have raised this with the Cathaoirleach already. I have submitted this matter for discussion a number of times before it was accepted for inclusion in today's...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Banking Licence Applications (20 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: I appreciate that and I will do my best to stay within the time.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Banking Licence Applications (20 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: The reason I raise this point relates to the aftermath of the Brexit decision earlier this month. We know all too well, and we have discussed it in the House, that Brexit will be difficult for Ireland in economic terms, but there will be a few small possibilities, particularly in the area of financial services. The area I am concerned with is passporting. Current EU laws allow European...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Banking Licence Applications (20 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: I appreciate the response of the Minister of State. I agree with him on the need for licences to be granted in a transparent and, most importantly, rigorous manner. We have learned lessons from having a light touch regulatory regime. I ask the Minister of State to convey my fear to the Minister for Finance that we are missing a trick, especially in the light of Brexit. I will give one...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: This morning a number of Senators have raised issues related to Brexit. Senator O'Reilly mentioned the beef trade and Senator Feighan mentioned investment. I would like to make two points. First, as I mentioned before to the Leader, we need deeper and stronger debates on the impact Brexit will have on the Irish economy. It would be very useful if we could schedule a series of debates...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: The key Brexit issue I would like to raise this morning is the announcement by the British Prime Minister that the UK has opted out of hosting the rotating Presidency of the European Council in the second half of 2017. It is a wise decision. It would not be smart for a country that has indicated it will leave the Union to hold the Presidency while the most important negotiations take place....

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: Like many Senators in the wake of the Brexit referendum, I have been inundated with inquiries from Irish people abroad and from many people living in Northern Ireland about the application process for Irish passports and trying to guarantee their EU rights. Much of this issue has been addressed. I commend the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, on accelerating the process and allocating more staff...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: Due to the fact that this debate is longer than the usual time set aside for statements, and there is more flexibility in terms of who speaks and for how long, I ended up in the Chamber for a lot longer this afternoon than intended. Usually, I would have been quite content to busy myself by working in my office, attend other meetings and pay attention to proceedings by watching the debate on...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: The Senator did not have a vote and I commend him. I fully respect the sovereign decision by the people to retain the Seanad. I have only been a Senator for six weeks but I might be here a little longer. Who knows? It is not necessarily our decision to make and might be one for the other House. I feel that I have an absolute duty to fulfil the responsibility of this House to the best of...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: I join the three other Senators in condemning the burning of the flag of the Republic, election posters and a whole host of offensive material as part of the 11th night bonfires. I equally commend, however, the majority of people from both communities who allowed parades to pass off peacefully today. I particularly commend the people of Rossnowlagh, County Donegal, who hosted their annual...

Seanad: Social Protection: Statements (12 Jul 2016)

Neale Richmond: I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him sincerely for taking the time to engage with it in this important debate. Many of the plans he laid out are welcome. However, there are some issues that I would like to briefly raise with him this evening that might feed into the overall thinking of his Department. In regard social welfare appeals, I was concerned to learn through my...