Results 4,881-4,900 of 5,046 for speaker:Paschal Mooney

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: While I am loath to interrupt the Senator, are we dealing with the issue at hand or is he simply telling anecdotes?

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: I do not wish to speak about the health system or the Prison Service, despite the serious nature of those issues. I would like to discuss something that affects businesses and those who use personal computers. I am sure the House will agree that an initiative announced by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in recent days is to be welcomed. The Minister has initiated...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: The gardaí should deal with it. The law is there.

Seanad: Direct Payments Decoupling: Statements. (11 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: I wish to share my time with Senator Kitt. Acting Chairman (Mr. Mooney): Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: I must declare interests. On the one hand I receive some of my income from the national State broadcaster. On the other, those who bothered to read my declaration of interests will know that I also have a small equity holding in a Dublin-based commercial radio station. I am between two stools on this issue, having an interest in both aspects of it. However, public service broadcasting is a...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: It is. Far be it from me to argue with the Leas-Chathaoirleach but the point I am making relates to the 5% requirement and the manner in which it will be used once it is put into the mix. I am attempting to reflect the fact that there are two interests, the public service interest and the commercial interest, involved in this issue. RTE will be entitled to apply for this money for its...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: I do not doubt Senator Finucane's sincerity. I do not speak for RTE but I am not at all surprised to hear him and the Minister refer to RTE's reluctance in this regard. RTE was in a serious financial crisis when this Bill was in gestation and when consultations were taking place in the public domain – we all followed them. RTE was up in arms when the Minister suggested he intended to divert...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: While I welcome the section, I have a few brief questions which return us to the core of our earlier dialogue. A close reading of the section would lead one to conclude that the response to the criteria laid down in the Bill will overwhelmingly emanate from the community and non-commercial sector. In a sense, this is a pity. While I do not wish to rehearse the argument, like my colleague,...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: Would the Minister consider introducing an amendment on Report Stage to encourage the BCI to finance a website on which it could accumulate all the material we have mentioned, rather than putting the financial onus on community or local radio stations? After all, the BCI is monitoring the output of all the licensed stations. As a number of schemes are being created under this legislation and...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: I am sorry for throwing, in cricket parlance, a googly at the Minister at this stage in the debate. The BCI currently has a website and anybody who wishes to access information on any of the licensed radio stations in this country can do so through that website. Perhaps the Minister, in his discussions on the implementation of this scheme, might be able to advance these views and encourage...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: I wish to ask the Minister about licence fee collection and the recent decision by An Post to divest itself of this obligation. The commission will review the operation, effectiveness and impact of the scheme not later than three years from the date it comes into service but the collection of the licence fee will have a direct impact on the effectiveness of the scheme in terms of the amount...

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: I support Senator Minihan's request for a debate on the Irish-UN involvement in Liberia. There has to be debate in the Dáil on the issue, but it is equally important that whenever Irish troops are being sent overseas, this House should also have a voice. The constitutional imperative is that the Dáil and the Government must approve it but this House should express its opinion. I hope the...

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (6 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: Like colleagues on all sides of the House, I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Roche. I endorse what has been said. This is a proud day for him as Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs and for Ireland generally. This is the culmination of a journey which began following the Nice treaty negotiations. We are now, effectively, completing the process of ensuring the...

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: As I have an interest in history I see an historical anomaly—

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Nov 2003)

Paschal Mooney: There is an historical anomaly in this but I will not ask the Minister to comment on it. Section (r) states: "the Treaty concerning the accession of the Kingdom of Norway." Norway opted out following that signature. This is unusual legislation because it includes a country which is not a member of the European Union, although we are discussing accession. Question put and agreed to. Section 2...

Seanad: European Convention/Intergovernmental Conference: Statements. (22 Oct 2003)

Paschal Mooney: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, and endorse all that has been said about his focused and committed involvement to this process since he was appointed to his current position. I will relay an anecdote to indicate his level of commitment to the convention and to what for Ireland, as a small country, is an important dimension to our Europen adventure – the question of forging...

Seanad: Irish Nationality and Citizenship and Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (22 Oct 2003)

Paschal Mooney: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Coming from where he does, like my county, his county is on the Border and he will have a certain familiarity with passports, nationality and such matters. While I have a certain degree of sympathy with Senator Leyden's interesting contribution, the sad fact is this Bill has been brought forward because the passports for sale scheme was totally...

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Oct 2003)

Paschal Mooney: Will the Leader consider a debate on the UN role in Iraq? This matter came up for urgent debate in the Council of Europe last week. The reason for the urgency was the change in the emphasis of American involvement in Iraq and its reconstruction. During the Taoiseach's excellent address to the General Assembly of the United Nations he indicated that if a request were forthcoming from the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Oct 2003)

Paschal Mooney: Irish troops would be going into a different environment from those they are used to, as is happening in Liberia. In that light it might be useful for colleagues on all sides of the House to have an opportunity of expressing their opinions and a debate would give Senator Ryan an opportunity to discuss with me whether the attacks are terrorist or not. People are being killed in a post-peace...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Jul 2003)

Paschal Mooney: I am delighted that two Ulstermen have been prominent this week, as Senator Leyden pointed out. I wonder whether Senator Maurice Hayes's next stop might be Buckingham Palace. Perhaps I should not mention that in this House, but I wish him well. Some weeks ago I drew attention to the phenomenon at Lansdowne Road of booing Glasgow Rangers players in international shirts. There is another recent...