Results 5,521-5,540 of 5,752 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: As Senator Norris has said, unless we, as legislators, actively go out and drive the referendum, it is possible, if not likely that it will be defeated because huge forces will be gathered to try to ensure that it does not pass. We cannot bank everything on the possibility that there will be a review at some stage in the future which will allow us to revisit this particular section of the...

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: For the first time, I understand the difference between a classical graduate from the honourable house of Trinity and a poor economics graduate from the London School of Economics. While I will try to follow that contribution, it will be rather difficult to do. On behalf of all the groups that have made representations to me on the single requirement of the Bill, including Amnesty...

Seanad: Workplace Relations Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I will not need five minutes. This is my first time to address the Minister of State, Deputy Nash, in the House. I am delighted to meet him. As a trade unionist, I welcome the Bill. Anything that would streamline the process for employees who find themselves in difficulty with their employers has got to be welcomed. With the Irish Congress of Trade Unions I have a number of areas I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Strategy and Framework for Higher Education: Higher Education Authority (4 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank Mr. Boland and his team. At the outset, I compliment Mr. Boland on his availability to anybody who wishes to discuss the strategy at any time. His energy sometimes amazes me. He has been available to the unions and to various conferences nationwide and I compliment him on that. I am a little concerned by the requirement for mergers before the establishment of technological...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: It would have been the way forward. I ask the Leader to arrange to have a report from that group as soon as possible. With respect to Senator Quinn and the banks, I am absolutely astonished by the fact that the banks in this country are screwing hard-pressed middle-income earners by not reducing interest rates, while at the same time dropping prices, offering switching incentives and...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I call on the Leader to bring to the House as quickly as possible the issue of Seanad reform. The fact that I am standing here is a result of the need for Seanad reform. That was the reason I ran for election in the first instance, not expecting to be elected. I am here now and I am quite upset that we have a reform group working which has not made contact with any Member of this House...

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I find myself in the position where, if forced to, I would support the Bill because there are people sitting here who have waited 20 or more years. This little country of ours inflicted so much pain and suffering on children. Down through the generations we turned a blind eye to everything that went on in this country. Today we have a chance to lead the world in the area of gender...

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I would love to be able to use some of the very eloquent words that have been used here today in some of the very moving speeches. All I can really say is that puberty is the most confusing time in one’s life. It is a long time ago since I went through puberty but I still remember it and it will haunt me to the grave. Could one imagine being forced to come to that age in life in a...

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: We are putting in this extra barrier.

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Thank God. At least the Minister is to return to the House with the first amendment we tabled but I urge him to examine the age issue as well.

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Not long.

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: He will not accept many more.

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Minister of State for meeting us yesterday to discuss amendments to the Bill. He is dealing with this in the best possible way that it can be dealt with. I commend those who have put their names and their personal lives on the line and who are sitting in the Visitors Gallery, in order to see Ireland come into the 21st century dragged kicking and screaming, as it were. I commend...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Leader for the swift action he took before Christmas in respect of a debate on homelessness in this House. I promised at that time that I would keep an eye on the homelessness situation, particularly here in Dublin. Today, I received an e-mail from a representative of the Peter McVerry Trust to tell me that the 271 beds supplied by the Minister were not all used initially, but...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Not as over time as other people.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: On Senator O'Sullivan's issue regarding the Army, there is no point in us increasing the numbers in the Army when we cannot dress the ones who are there, have no uniforms for them, nor career structures.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Institutes of Technology (3 Feb 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Before I discuss the technological university, I compliment the Minister and thank her for her ongoing engagement with the junior certificate issue. I am sure these are difficult times for everyone involved. I have serious concerns about the way in which the Waterford-Carlow technological university project is being handled, for example, the lack of...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jan 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I second Senator MacSharry's amendment to the Order of Business. I was very disturbed last night to find that the Irish Water debacle is about to come back and haunt us again. Last week, there was an announcement from the European Commission that it had some doubts as to whether EUROSTAT would accept the figures put forward by Government regarding Irish Water. I learned late last night...

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Jan 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Before we reach Committee Stage, would it be possible to get a register of those medical practitioners who would be favourably disposed to working with this issue, given that the Minister of State is going to continue with that line? We do not want a situation like the man waiting four years-----

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Jan 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: It would be nice to have it before Committee Stage.