Results 5,021-5,040 of 5,918 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I find this very disheartening.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I said on Second Stage that this Bill is biased to some degree in favour of people who are on very good salaries. My colleague, Senator Keane, noted on Second Stage that councillors get nothing out of it. Indeed, it is very hard to figure out what local government members actually earn. They are not employees but officers, a role for which they get a miserable €16,000 per year. For...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I appreciate what the Minister is doing in this. All pensions will be restored for 80% of pensioners. I do not wish to tie the Minister into anything in this regard but can he give a rough time-line for the final 20%?

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: What if there is a continued improvement between 2016 and 2018?

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I understand what the Minister is saying.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: That includes holiday pay.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: With respect to the Minister it is not the ones under-----

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Minister for a comprehensive set of answers. I agree that the debate went beyond where he expected to go. He is making it difficult for me to vote against this Bill as he has been so forthright in his answers but perhaps the Minister could clarify some issues. With regard to the teacher who works up to 150 hours, the Minister has satisfied my concerns there. The teacher who is...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister is very kind.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: New kids on the block.

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Amendment No. 29 deals with transfer of staff of the Law Society and Bar Council and refers specifically to "appropriately qualified" staff. As a trade unionist, I have a difficulty with the words "appropriately qualified".

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I apologise. Senator Bacik is correct, I was looking at the wrong amendment.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I have a point of order as well. As I have been refused access to any group, I am, as such, debarred from having my views passed through a group. I agree with my two colleagues. I have not come here to have a pop at the Minister but rather to place a few issues on the record. I am really getting tired of being excluded from debate in this House.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: At no stage this morning were we told that we would be excluded.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Three more Senators wish to speak so it is hardly the end of the world.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Senator Colm Burke is Acting Leader.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I respect what the Minister has said and I fully appreciate that this is not of his doing. I acknowledge his coming to the House. He will not know the number of times I have gone through this issue in the Seanad and it is unfair to involve the Minister in my grievance. I thank him for coming and I am sorry about this.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Bearing in mind the Minister's comments, I ask the Acting Chairman to allow the two remaining speakers to contribute.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I have come to congratulate the Minister on the work he is doing. He is dead right that we hear much talk about this every year, no matter who is in government. I recall, as a ten-year-old, being lined up in what we called "the long ward" in the regional hospital in Galway because it did not have enough beds. That was a long time ago - 52 years ago to be precise. Every year since, I have...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Hear, hear.