Results 5,261-5,280 of 6,030 for speaker:Brendan Ryan

Seanad: Humanitarian Issues in Post-War Iraq: Statements (Resumed). (11 Jun 2003)

Brendan Ryan: The idea of an Irish ambassador returning to Baghdad at present is among the more bizarre suggestions I have ever heard. To whom would an Irish Ambassador present his credentials? Would he genuflect before an American or a representative of the British Government? There is no government there; the only government—

Seanad: Humanitarian Issues in Post-War Iraq: Statements (Resumed). (11 Jun 2003)

Brendan Ryan: Senator Minihan said he supported the return of the Irish Ambassador to Baghdad. An ambassador has to present his credentials to somebody. To whom would the returning ambassador present his credentials? I will await an answer later.

Seanad: Humanitarian Issues in Post-War Iraq: Statements (Resumed). (11 Jun 2003)

Brendan Ryan: Let us move on. Reference has been made to the vast sums of money the EU is supposed to have allocated. It has spent €285 million, but it allocated €700 million. Let us place this in context: to date, the war has cost over $60 billion. That is about 50% of our gross domestic product for a year. To compensate the Iraqi people for the consequences of that expenditure of $60 billion, we, the...

Seanad: Humanitarian Issues in Post-War Iraq: Statements (Resumed). (11 Jun 2003)

Brendan Ryan: That is true about any situation. There has never been a situation which could not have been worse. Therefore, to say it is not as bad as it could be is simply to say it could be worse. Of course, it could. The fundamental facts are that the Government accepted, without reservation, that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and that it was a threat to its neighbours and the rest of the world....

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Brendan Ryan: The wrong people are making the plans.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Brendan Ryan: I have a habit of taking exception to the metropolitan focus of what is meant to be a national House of the Oireachtas. It is not only in Dublin but in every city in Ireland that severe social and economic problems are caused by traffic congestion. The greater Cork area in which I live will have a population of about 500,000 in ten years. It will have traffic problems by then which are...

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Brendan Ryan: There were 55,000 jobs created in 1997 before the present Government took office.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Brendan Ryan: Let me remind the House that we had sorted out the mess that the Government party had created in 1977by the time it took over in 1987. Members on the other side should not get too carried away.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Brendan Ryan: The issue is one of funding needed in Dublin and the rest of the country. In the national development plan the figure for investment in public transport in Limerick, Cork and Waterford was £50 million at a time when the best part of £10 billion was being committed to the greater Dublin area. I do not begrudge one penny of that £10 billion to the greater Dublin area but it was an illusion...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 May 2003)

Brendan Ryan: I note in media reports that the issue of rip-off Ireland was raised in the House yesterday when I did a back-of-an-envelope calculation regarding the price of petrol. Two years ago a barrel of oil cost €20 because of the valuation of the euro and the dollar; today on the world market it costs €22, even though there is a different valuation on the dollar. Two years ago the price of a...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 May 2003)

Brendan Ryan: —and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who, to my great embarrassment, is a member of Socialist International. It was fought on a lie which should not be forgotten because of some idea that we should leave the past behind us. If it was fought on a lie, it had no basis. Therefore, I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on foreign affairs with particular emphasis on Iraq. The truth is...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 May 2003)

Brendan Ryan: He will be remembered all right.

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 May 2003)

Brendan Ryan: The Taoiseach stated there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Seanad: Auctioneering Profession: Motion. (28 May 2003)

Brendan Ryan: It never ceases to amaze me that people who proclaim their commitment to the market economy and the competition model of economic efficiency always seem to be late when it comes to the most important part of competition policy – that there should be perfect knowledge to both participants in an economic transaction, yet we spend years explaining why this is a bad idea. We have a medical...

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 May 2003)

Brendan Ryan: I support the call for a debate on the issue of tourism, but I suggest that we extend it to include the issue of competitiveness in general. I do not want to anticipate such a debate, and I apologise for anticipating the Cathaoirleach, but it is extraordinary that headlines in newspapers always relate to prices and, in particular, wage costs. However, the most recent statement on...

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 May 2003)

Brendan Ryan: I would love to know, because we have a wonderfully simple set-up here. We know whom to ask about things. The Leader is in charge and she makes that perfectly clear—

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 May 2003)

Brendan Ryan: —in a most reasonable and amiable fashion.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 May 2003)

Brendan Ryan: Our party is doing all right. We are not so far behind the Government parties any more.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 May 2003)

Brendan Ryan: The Senators on the other side of the House should watch themselves. Working people know whose side we are on and they know whose side the Government parties are on. We can be sure about that. (Interruptions).

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 May 2003)

Brendan Ryan: Fianna Fáil members would be very happy to have doubled their figures in the opinion polls in 12 months. They are going one way and we are going the other. They should mind themselves.