Results 481-500 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Derek McDowell: I do not believe that we should make it much easier for an elector to acquire a postal vote.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Derek McDowell: We are entitled to demand that people make the effort to present themselves at a polling station. If one is in County Kerry for the weekend, I do not suppose that it really matters if one calls to the polling station in Sneem to vote in Dublin North-Central, or vice versa. This is a real issue. I ask the Minister to take this opportunity to outline the extent, in his opinion, of the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Derek McDowell: I imagine that the best means of ensuring the register of electors is accurate is to use some type of electronic system.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2005)

Derek McDowell: My party, the Labour Party, is party to the general consensus in welcoming the Bill. Senator Kitt mentioned that the late James Tully was party to the creative reorganisation of the constituencies in the 1970s and if anybody in the Labour Party needed persuading that that was not the way to do it, the end result of the 1977 election, the outcome of which was not exactly as the then Minister...

Seanad: Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Jun 2005)

Derek McDowell: I have no difficulty with the contents of the Bill which my party endorses. The only surprise is that we need this Bill at all because I was under the impression most of these provisions were long since in place and it came as something of a surprise to find they were not. Before Senator Mansergh leaves, I should respond to his idle provocation about the Labour Party-Fianna Fáil Government...

Seanad: Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Jun 2005)

Derek McDowell: It also came apart because many on the Labour Party backbenches — I was then a Labour Party backbencher in a Fianna Fáil-led Government — had formed the view that language in the mouth of the then Taoiseach no longer meant a great deal because he was quite capable of going into the Dáil day after day and saying whatever was required to keep that Government together. Frankly, the words...

Seanad: Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Jun 2005)

Derek McDowell: If we are to learn any lesson for the future, it must be that it was not only about an esoteric legal case, but that is an aside which keeps us entertained and awake into the evening time. Before getting into the substance of the Bill, I mention comments the Minister of State made about whistleblowers because I was genuinely disappointed to hear what he had to say in that regard. He said he...

Seanad: Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Jun 2005)

Derek McDowell: If they did know what was contained in them I am not sure it would help very much. The strategic priorities of the Department of Finance, for example, are price stability, debt reduction, management and effectiveness of public expenditure and tax reform. How does that help? The Minister says poe-faced, reading from a script that has been written for him, that these statements of strategy are...

Seanad: Morris Tribunal Reports: Motion. (15 Jun 2005)

Derek McDowell: I understand the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform was scheduled to be here but is delayed because of a bereavement. I understand his mother-in-law died suddenly today. I wish to record my condolences to the Minister and to his wife, Professor Brennan, on their loss. Like most colleagues I have been relying on press summaries for information on the content of the Morris report. I...

Seanad: Aviation Action Plan: Statements. (31 May 2005)

Derek McDowell: I appreciate that. However, I posed a number of questions during my contribution, which the Minister has not had time to address.

Seanad: Aviation Action Plan: Statements. (31 May 2005)

Derek McDowell: I appreciate that. I am merely making the point that I posed some questions that were not answered——

Seanad: Aviation Action Plan: Statements. (31 May 2005)

Derek McDowell: ——because of a lack of time.

Seanad: Aviation Action Plan: Statements. (31 May 2005)

Derek McDowell: If he could do that, I would appreciate it.

Seanad: Aviation Action Plan: Statements. (31 May 2005)

Derek McDowell: Of course we are.

Seanad: Aviation Action Plan: Statements. (31 May 2005)

Derek McDowell: Is the Senator saying he supports selling an equity stake of more than 50%?

Seanad: Aviation Action Plan: Statements. (31 May 2005)

Derek McDowell: It is sometimes said there is too much consensus in this House or in politics, but on this issue there is very little. I agree with very little of what Senator Morrissey said and not a great deal of what Senator Paddy Burke said. Of course, I agree with precisely nothing of what Senator Ross said, although I am sure that we would both feel bad about ourselves were it otherwise.

Seanad: Aviation Action Plan: Statements. (31 May 2005)

Derek McDowell: The outbreak of fraternity on my left is a little difficult to take at this time in the afternoon. Before coming to the substance of what I want to say, perhaps I might briefly address two issues that it would be unfortunate to let pass without some sort of comment. The first is the eulogising of Ryanair by Senator Morrissey. He is right to say that it is an extremely successful business...

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 May 2005)

Derek McDowell: I endorse what others have said on the subject of nursing homes. What we saw last night was deeply shocking. This situation was inevitable, given the utterly chaotic way in which nursing home places and nursing homes have been dealt with in the past number of years. The former Minister for Finance, Mr. Charlie McCreevy, put in place a tax break and the creation of places has been driven...

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

Derek McDowell: Like other colleagues, I have no great enthusiasm for the constitution but no great difficulty with it either. The Labour Party has long since recanted its mistake in 1972 of opposing membership of the EEC — or at least most of us. From our political perspective, this comes from one simple realisation, namely, that capital is organised multinationally. To ensure one has proper standards of...

Seanad: Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (17 May 2005)

Derek McDowell: I do not have a view, good, bad or indifferent, on Senator O'Toole's amendments. However, he touches on the important issue of the level of expertise available to the HSA. This is particularly relevant in the context of the chemicals industry, which is becoming significant in this country. A few years ago, I took part as a member of Dublin City Council in the consideration of an application...