Results 501-520 of 5,046 for speaker:Paschal Mooney

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Second Stage (15 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. The contributions of Members so far will have given him food for thought. This is a sloppy Bill. It does not address key issues. I am thinking in terms of people outside these Houses who might be contemplating applying for the position of Clerk of the Dáil. There are no guarantees in the Bill. There is no indication of how long it will...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Second Stage (15 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I am only making the point that inferences could be drawn because of the manner in which the process would be set up under this legislation. That is all I am suggesting. I am not saying it would in any way reflect on the individual concerned. There is an old cliché, as Senator Sheahan well knows, that perception is all, particularly in politics. It is not my main concern. My main...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I am glad Senator Craughwell has raised what is a very sensitive issue about pensions. I understand from reading the newspapers today, particularly the Irish Independent, that seems to be obsessed about pay and pensions in these Houses, that there is some talk of volunteerism. I understand the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, said at the weekend that there...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I will not do it because Amnesty, generally, has got a proud and long history of looking after people. When I and many others in this House, Senator Norris being one, have down through the years raised human rights issues it has been in the forefront when nobody else cared but on this issue it is totally and completely wrong and out of order.

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: This is about age discrimination. The Minister of State is going through this rapidly and I am trying to absorb the rationale. His last comments seem to suggest there could be discrimination. Fixed-term contracts seem to be a way of terminating the employment of somebody over the compulsory retirement age. The amendment reads: "...it is objectively and reasonably justified by a...

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I thank the Minister of State. The only reason I raise this issue is I am considering the example of what occurs when somebody who has been employed for some considerable time in a particular institution or business exceeds the retirement age and is suddenly offered a fixed-term contract. This seems to suggest, or at least imply, that there is something more to the offer than meets the eye....

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator White. A few weeks ago, Senator Norris and others raised the issue of an alleged village called Susiya in the West Bank. A number of us had received information on this by e-mail. I decided that in this instance I would contact the Israeli embassy to establish exactly what its position was. Inevitably what happens in this...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: Yes, but I wish to put on the record of the House the Israeli side of the situation. They say that the authorities in the area have offered alternative lands nearby which will improve the petitioners' quality of living, enabling access to civil infrastructure systems and improve access to educational facilities. They state the offer does not obstruct the continuation of the same...

Seanad: Report of Working Group on Seanad Reform 2015: Statements (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I welcome our former colleagues to the House. Are 500 people required to nominate somebody for direct election? I saw a figure of 500 mentioned somewhere in this. That seemed to me to be a ridiculous figure. I will rain on somebody's parade by saying this but there seems to be a growing perception that the decision of the Irish people to retain this House contained within it a passion for...

Seanad: Report of Working Group on Seanad Reform 2015: Statements (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: We have a bigger support base than was thought.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This is comprehensive legislation, however, like the election candidate on the night of the election count who, unsure of the outcome, carries two speeches, one of acceptance and one of concession, I have two documents that relate to the Bill. The first is a briefing note relating to the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 which I...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I am glad the Acting Chairman have reminded me because I want to finish with a flourish. It is always good to finish with a flourish. I have carried out some research on the Bourn Vincent Memorial Park Act. Senator Paul Coghlan will be familiar with the legislation because it relates to Muckross, County Kerry. What is extraordinary about the matter is that Arthur Rose Vincent was an Irish...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: Mr. Vincent had a distinguished career under the British colonial system which unfortunately I cannot go into. He refused a judgeship in the British courts because of the executions of the 1916 leaders. He was an Independent Member of this House from 1931 to 1934 having been elected in a by-election. He took the seat vacated by the death of the then Senator Patrick Kenny. Mr. Vincent was...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: It is an extraordinary story. History will be made here by the repeal of the legislation.

Seanad: Conditions of Work: Motion (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I will not keep the House long but I add my voice in support of this motion, which is an all-party motion, although particular acknowledgement and tribute is due to Senators Power, van Turnhout and others. Like many colleagues who have already referred to it, I too was happy to meet representatives of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and to sign its petition on having a living wage of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Caller Helpline: Samaritans Ireland and Telecommunications and Internet Federation (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I welcome the representatives and endorse everything that has been said about the wonderful work the Samaritans are doing. Also, the corporate sector should be complimented. It does not often receive kudos, but in this instance it has certainly risen to the challenge. While I understand that decisions have yet to be taken, I am encouraged by the remarks that discussions are ongoing. When...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Caller Helpline: Samaritans Ireland and Telecommunications and Internet Federation (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I presume the telecommunications companies involved are very supportive of the expansion of the service? After all, part of their raison d'êtreis to improve broadband speeds. One assumes, therefore, that it could all work in tandem. Is Mr. Moore saying, however, that the Samaritans will have to put in a significant investment itself?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Caller Helpline: Samaritans Ireland and Telecommunications and Internet Federation (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: Is that cost significant?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Caller Helpline: Samaritans Ireland and Telecommunications and Internet Federation (8 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I am raising this issue because I was indirectly involved, some years ago, in efforts by a group to establish a similar helpline for missing persons. That group had several meetings with the Department of Justice and Equality but the latter refused to give funding on the basis that it was too costly. As I understand it, a missing persons helpline has still not been set up, primarily because...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jul 2015)

Paschal Mooney: I support everything my colleague, Senator Michael Comiskey, has said in regard to the Seán Mac Diarmada cottage. When I looked at the photographs in the newspaper of the Pearse cottage in Galway I thought it was the Mac Diarmada cottage, such is the similarity between the two. Without wishing to appear partisan, the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Simon Harris,...