Results 5,381-5,400 of 6,295 for speaker:Michael D'Arcy

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: We are all straying a little.

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I would like to make an important point that has not been made already. I will repeat one of the big criticisms I made when, as a member of a local authority, I was the chair of the local VEC. When we were conducting interviews, we came under pressure to consider people who were coming to the end of their careers. We were told it was important for such people to move up to the next...

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: The Minister's argument - that a person who came in under a particular scheme before having to exit it for a certain period should be allowed to revert back to that scheme if he or she is fortunate enough to get back into the Oireachtas - is a reasonable one. Senator Cullinane's party wants to set €100,000 as the maximum salary that can be paid to anyone in the public sector. If that...

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: A number of self-employed Members invest the salary they receive in their businesses to employ people to do the work they did previously. They never mention the fact that they have practically no income from this job because they use their salary to employ people to do the work they would ordinarily do in their enterprise. Sinn Féin Members continually tell us how wonderful they are. They...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I wish to raise the issue of the IMF's stated views on universal payments. We must grapple with this issue sooner rather than later. During the term of the previous Government we saw how difficult it was to remove a universal payment, which is just about impossible. We should put the issue of universal payments to a referendum so that the people can decide on the issue. If people vote...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I would like to raise an issue that was brought to my attention over the weekend when a young man collapsed after a match. There were a number of contributory factors, including fatigue and dehydration, but the most crucial was the consumption of a high energy drink prior to the match. There is not sufficient awareness of the dangers on the part of those who sell such high energy drinks and...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: It has been brought to my attention that a particularly unfair anomaly exists with regard to the early child care year concerning certain crèches which provide the service. Parents pay less if the crèches have staff with FETAC level 8 qualifications. This is an anomaly and is unfair and means fees are less in some crèches than in others. This is an unintended consequence of a decision...

Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: When he goes home.

Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I welcome the Minister and the work done in the past week by the Taoiseach. I am sure the Minister will be putting flesh on the bones of what has been agreed to date. It looks like a big step in the right direction on behalf of the nation and I think everybody would agree with that. I refer Senator O'Brien to the Minister's contribution where he said that the recently published Bill should...

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: The United Nations is mentioned in section 5?

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: Senator Norris should read the European directive document on the recovery and resolution of credit institutions because the very point he is making about credit rating agencies is being addressed in that, although it is only a draft document. I took some time out to listen to the debate on Committee Stage with the Minister for Finance on section 5 and it was very informative. The taxation...

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: That is a choice they can make.

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: It is in line with the other institutions.

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: From what I gather from the conversation about immunity from legal proceedings on Committee Stage, a person who wants to take a case for political purposes in the Irish Supreme Court will not be allowed to advance the case. That is a good thing because we have seen people take cases to the Supreme Court for political purposes and the taxpayer ends up paying for it. During the fiscal...

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: Everyone else has been doing it all day.

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I am making the circular argument about section 5(1)(a) because the reasoning for it is very clear. As I stated, if somebody wants to take a case to the Supreme Court, that is fine, but he or she should pay for it himself or herself and not ask the taxpayer to do so.

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: That is what happened before.

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: I ask the Senator not to be so ill mannered.

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: Senators would have noted a lot of information on the Oireachtas website if they had chosen to inform themselves before the debate.

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Michael D'Arcy: For political purposes.