Results 4,841-4,860 of 5,294 for speaker:Michael McCarthy

Seanad: Draft Guidelines on Rural Housing: Statements. (10 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I hope on behalf of the many thousands of young people around the country that this is not another cynical attempt to assuage the electorate before an election. We have seen enough of that. This is an issue that is too close to people's hearts. Nobody in this room can say, with hand on heart, that he or she has not witnessed the difficulties such people go through when they apply for planning...

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: Regarding the INO debate which has been taken over the last few days, I ask the Leader for a debate with the Minister for Health and Children regarding the very serious shortfall in nurses. We now have more non-European nationals working for us in the nursing professions than we have Irish people. The vast majority of graduates leave the profession after two or three years. The report of the...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (4 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: A number of people think they should not pay taxes, no matter what tax is involved. Senator Bannon referred to declarations signed in Garda stations. When a declaration is signed that a car has been off the road, the garda witnesses the signature of the car owner and, therefore, he or she makes the declaration, not the garda. Penalties are in place to deal with car owners who knowingly enter...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (4 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I too would like to thank the Minister of State and his officials for dealing with this Bill over the past two days. The Minister of State has spent a considerable amount of time in the House recently and that is appreciated. I may not agree with all of what he says but we are here to legislate and we have completed a legislative task. I add my words of acknowledgement to the Minister of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I wish to raise two issues with the Leader. The first issue relates to advertising. There were two cases recently where two companies used psychiatric illnesses in a derogatory way to promote the sale of their goods. One was a television company and the other was a telephone company. The television company advertised plastic surgery as a way of overcoming depression and the telephone company...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I welcome the Minister of State. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, is out of the country.

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: That is according to the radio today. The Bill gives effect to the budgetary increases in motor taxation in December's budget. An increase in motor taxation is no surprise, but it is disappointing that there is no benefit from such an increase, aside from a temporary improvement in the Government's fiscal situation. I accept, as does the vast majority of reasonable people, that we must pay...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I concur with Senator Finucane on the issue of mortgage interest. If mortgage companies were to forego the charge to mortgage holders of interest for 29 February, it would cost them some €400,000, not a lot when one considers the profits they make. On electronic voting, the report of the commission is due to be published on 1 May, which is very late. Will the Leader assure the House that if...

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. This amendment is in the interests of consistency. The Government had a clear policy to end the dual mandate in the context of membership of the Oireachtas and local authorities. When the legislation was introduced there were some good debates in this House and the legislation was subsequently enacted. Accordingly, the dual mandate finished. There...

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: It is a good example. If the project had backfired in the election, it would probably have been classed as something else. I feel strongly about this amendment. If the dual mandate is to be abolished at one level, the policy should be applicable across the board regardless of the type of dual mandate. Obviously, it is more high profile when it occurs in politics but there are also the...

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I second the amendment.

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I second the amendment. Question, "That the words proposed to be deleted stand", put and declared carried.

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I too would like to thank the Minister of State and his officials. It has been a demanding week for him since the Minister, Deputy Cullen, was away in the Far East on European business. Who would have known when he was leaving what brouhaha would be caused here on a number of issues? It is important to note the excellent work done by our MEPs. All politicians moan but MEPs can justifiably...

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Motion for Earlier Signature. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: Is this motion being dealt with in the same manner as the previous motion dealing with earlier signature? Has the Order of Business been amended to allow this motion?

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I second the amendment.

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I second the amendment.

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I move amendment No. 4: In page 3, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: 2.—Section 6 of the Act of 1997 is amended— (a) in subsections (1)(b) and (2) by the deletion of "statutory declaration" and the substitution therefor of "statement pursuant to this section"; (b) in subsection (2) by the deletion of "said declaration" and the substitution therefor of "said statement"; (c)...

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I move amendment No. 5: In page 4, to delete lines 39 to 47 and in page 5, to delete lines 1 to 18. We have had many long debates in the House about the abolition of the dual mandate. Eventually people came around to the idea that it would happen, with one notable exception. The reasons behind it were well articulated in the House by the Minister and various others. It was argued then that...

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: We would not be on the far side of the House.