Results 4,781-4,800 of 4,937 for speaker:Diarmuid Wilson

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: That is not the way Fianna Fáil operates.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: We are not the party of soundbites.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: The Senator may go back further if he likes.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: £1.80.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: Alice in Wonderland.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: We do not have the benefit of spin doctors in our organisation. We are able to do our own work.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: It is Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats policy. We are all in harmony.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: Not like the Blueshirts.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: €1.80 was the increase granted in 1996 by Proinsias De Rossa, the esteemed president of the Senator's party.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: Most of them were members of the Labour Party.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Malley, and I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Coughlan, on her excellent speech. As she said, this is the second of two Bills which are necessary to implement the €630 million social welfare package of the 2004 budget. A separate Bill came before us in December which gave effect to significant increases in weekly social welfare payments and...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: We will do that later. Since 1997 child benefit has tripled.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: This year over €1 billion will be spent on child benefit. The number of people who qualify for carer's allowance has increased by almost 140% since the Government took office. The Bill also provides for amendments to Part VII of the Pensions Act 1990 which deals with the equal treatment of men and women in occupational pension schemes. The Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: Let us cast our minds back, seeing as Senator Cummins is good at history——

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: In 1995, the Labour-Fine Gael-Democratic Left Government was given the opportunity to put its rhetoric into practice. That famous man, Proinsias De Rossa, who is now pontificating about security and co-operation in Europe and trying to disrupt the calm waters of this country, allocated a £1.80 increase to old age pensioners. They were the people who contributed to establishing and building...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: Over three budgets under the control of that so-called socially-minded rainbow Government, the total average increase in pensions was €2.95.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: God help us whatever the next one will be like, in about 20 years' time.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: I congratulate the Minister on securing €11.26 billion for her departmental budget this year. That underlines the Government's commitment to the elderly, children, the less well off——

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: ——the sick, those unable to care for themselves and the unemployed. If I were in the position of Opposition Senators, I would be welcoming these increases, especially those in unemployment benefit, because after the next election some of them may have to sign on for it.

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport (International Conventions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (9 Mar 2004)

Diarmuid Wilson: I join my colleagues in welcoming the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, and his officials to the House. I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on the Air Navigation and Transport (International Conventions) Bill 2004. The Bill will allow Ireland to ratify the Montreal Convention, and will give the convention the force of law in Ireland. The Montreal Convention is an updated replacement...