Results 5,021-5,040 of 6,064 for speaker:Martin Conway

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: It is deeply personal, vindictive, bad minded, unfair and unjust.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: When criticism is deserved, like others, I give it, but, by God, when it is not deserved, I will defend the person being criticised. What was said in the media over the weekend against the Minister was nothing short of a scandal. People should begin to realise that we all have responsibilities as Members of the Oireachtas to do the right thing. Governments do not always get it right. More...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: I would like to bring to the attention of the House an issue that was mentioned to me yesterday by a couple of old people. It appears that electronic panic buttons are connected through landlines. If this is the case, perhaps the Leader might suggest to the Minister for Finance that the forthcoming Finance Bill should provide for some sort of financial assistance to be given to older people...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: One element of the budget about which I was unhappy was the fact that the cost of a packet of cigarettes went up by only ten cent. The Minister had scope to increase the price of cigarettes significantly. There is a serious public health issue with cigarettes and smoking which is costing a serious amount of money in terms of health care and we must tackle it as if we were in a war with the...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: What we need to do is get behind this budget. I suggest to the Leader that Seanad Éireann gets behind and promotes this budget and injects the confidence into our economy that this budget is clearly designed to foster.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Shannon Aviation Services and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2013: Discussion (16 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: In terms of previous aviation policy, I contend we have had too many airports in the west and other regions getting State support from Donegal, Mayo-Galway, Kerry, Waterford and so on. For an island of our size aviation policy in the past was thwarted and not very well focused. Mayo airport has proven itself above and beyond the other airports I mentioned and there is a significant role for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Shannon Aviation Services and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2013: Discussion (16 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: I apologise for being late; I was detained in the Seanad Chamber. I echo what Deputy Dooley and Senator Mulcahy said regarding Clare County Council's continued and important involvement. It is Government policy that the local authority would take a more proactive role at national level in economic development with the enterprise board legislation and so on. However, the role Clare County...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: I welcome the Taoiseach's weekend announcement that he will bring into law a decision of the people in the 1970s. I hate to disagree with my colleagues on the other side of the House but this is significant reform because it is the only reform since 1937. If it comes to pass, it will be a major step in the right direction. Of course we would all like to see a lot more reform but let us...

Seanad: Irish Sign Language: Motion (9 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Irish Sign Language: Motion (9 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: It was remiss of me not to pay tribute to the signers who had to listen to us and regurgitate what we have been saying for the past two hours. I thank them. It is great to see sign interpreters in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Seanad: Irish Sign Language: Motion (9 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, 15 October 2013.

Seanad: Irish Sign Language: Motion (9 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: This has been a very interesting debate. I thank the contributors from all sides of the House. Each group except one was represented. I also commend the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, on her extremely comprehensive synopsis of what the Government is doing in every area, from the Revenue Commissioners and education to social welfare and the various pilot initiatives. They are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Heads of the Gambling Control Bill 2013: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: Deputy Collins covered some of the issues I wished to raise. I have two questions for Mr. Quirke's representatives. Earlier Mr. Quirke said this Bill did not facilitate what they are proposing. Does that make his project unviable and will the investors not go ahead with the project? The second question is academic in a sense but very important. Money laundering is a major problem. His...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Heads of the Gambling Control Bill 2013: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: The witness said the legislation did not facilitate his project. Are the investors not prepared to go ahead should the legislation be passed in its proposed format?

Seanad: Business of Seanad (9 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: Yes, due to a misunderstanding at the gate, members of the deaf community whose lives will be affected by the debate-----

Seanad: Business of Seanad (9 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: I propose that we suspend the House for five minutes.

Seanad: Irish Sign Language: Motion (9 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: I move: “That Seanad Éireann: - recognises unequivocally Irish Sign Language as the preferred sign language of the deaf community in the State; - recognises Irish Sign Language as an expression of culture and an instrument for access to education and equal opportunities; - notes and commends the work of the many State and non-governmental organisations to support and promote the...

Seanad: Political Reform: Statements (8 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: I will take up the latter point made in Senator Mark Daly's contribution on inviting the JFK School of Government at Harvard University to examine our system of government. I studied there briefly in the mid-1990s. Were we to consider taking that line, the JFK School of Government would have a very interesting role to play, as would other academic institutions. When I was in UCD, I studied...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: That mandate brings with it a deep responsibility. We certainly need to live up to and honour that responsibility.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: I too call for a period of calm reflection after what was a bumpy ride, to say the least, for the last few weeks. It was one of those peculiar, bizarre and typically Irish situations that the Seanad found itself it in, where its very survival was a matter of considerable public discourse. I believe that reform will happen in due course because the people voted very clearly for reform. They...