Results 4,881-4,900 of 4,937 for speaker:Diarmuid Wilson

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (14 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: It gives me great pleasure to second the motion.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (14 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the Minister. I congratulate him not only in regard to what he is doing for road safety but also in regard to all that he is doing in the Department of Transport. He is a credit to the Government and the people who elected him. I would prefer to be playing golf with the Minister than with Senators Browne or Bannon.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (14 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I might give Senator Browne a chance, but definitely not Senator Bannon.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (14 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Leave it to us.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (14 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: We will complete much in the next four years. Thereafter we will have another 15 years, so it will not make any difference.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (14 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the new initiatives brought forward by the Minister for Transport, Deputy Séamus Brennan. The introduction of the penalty points system has brought about a revolution in the thought process of all motorists in this country. Surveys carried out since the introduction of penalty points for speeding show that there has been a 72% decrease in the numbers exceeding the speed limits....

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (14 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: He had the intelligence to leave the Fine Gael Party.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the Minister to the House. In 1999 I was honoured by the people of the Cavan electoral area in my native county of Cavan to have been elected to serve them on Cavan County Council. Having failed by a narrow margin in 1991 I worked hard for the following eight years and used as a model the way Senator Brian Hayes, the leader of the Fine Gael group in the Seanad, campaigned to get...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I will reluctantly vote for it .

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Unlike the Fine Gael Party, there is discipline in our party and the country has benefited from it and will continue to do so.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I understand from the Minister's speech that the Barrington report of 1990 recommended the abolition of the dual mandate. I welcome Senator Coonan to the House. He is not here that often. He had to sleep in because he kept us all up late last night.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I understand the Commission on the Status of Women and the National Youth Council have also called for the abolition of the dual mandate. Contrary to reports from Members on all sides, the General Council of County Councils called for the abolition of the dual mandate for Deputies, not for Senators. As a member of the General Council of County Councils I clarify that. On behalf of the GCCC I...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Senators will no longer be entitled to sit on local councils.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: We in the General Council of County Councils believe that one way of ensuring communication between national and local policymakers is maintained at a vibrant level is for the channels of communication provided by the General Council of County Councils to be used to the full. The general council, with its representation from each of the county and city councils, is well placed to channel...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I am pleased Senator Bannon can read. I welcome the fact that the Minister will introduce regulations to compel county councils and health boards and so on to respond to the queries of Deputies and Senators. Neither I nor my colleague, Deputy Brendan Smith, has any difficulty in dealing with our manager, whom I believe to be the best manager in the country, or his staff.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I agree with Senator McCarthy in relation to time off for PAYE workers. Regulations should be put in place to allow these workers time off to attend council meetings. The term of the council should be extended from five to seven years. As one who was elected only in 1999 it took time to get to grips with council business. When I became a Member of the Seanad it became even more difficult....

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: He has also claimed that his "ears are red" from all the Fianna Fáil Deputies and Senators telephoning him to give him the €500 he needs.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I ask Senator Bannon, who belongs to a party which is interested in freedom of information, to ask his colleague from Westport—

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Let him name the people from this side of the House—

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: —he claims have contacted him. He will have difficulty doing so because no one has contacted him.