Results 581-600 of 1,591 for speaker:Eugene Regan

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: We are talking here as if the barbarians are at the gate on this issue. The reality is that we have problems in these Houses with allowances and expenses. We must also acknowledge that the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, in February of this year, put forward a proposal on the reform of allowances. Senators on the Fianna Fáil benches have explained what happens at parliamentary party...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Senator can explain it at the next general election.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: I wish to refer briefly to the issue of expenses which has been raised by many Senators. The Ceann Comhairle has resigned because of an inappropriate level of expenditure at taxpayers' expense. I do not wish to go over that ground but in his defence, particularly regarding his ministerial portfolio, he stated in a press release that the provision of the services he enjoyed were arranged in...

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Senator should try another one.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: They would be afraid to do so.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: Members should record the extraordinary success achieved in the Lisbon treaty referendum debate, as measured by a "Yes" vote of 67%. It is a "Yes" vote to a modern Ireland at the heart of the European Union. Everyone worked on the campaign closely and effectively and the message got through. In particular, I welcome the very high "Yes" vote of 81% in the constituency of Dún Laoghaire.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: After the first Lisbon treaty referendum, when the highest "Yes" vote nationwide at 63% was recorded in Dún Laoghaire, I predicted the rest of the country eventually would follow suit.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: The turnout in Dún Laoghaire was 74%.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: From Sallynoggin to Killiney and from Monkstown Farm to Shankill-----

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: There was a strong "Yes" vote in all those areas, which is to be welcomed.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: I appreciate that normal hostilities had been suspended while Members were pursuing the referendum campaign. However, an issue that came up at the doors while one was canvassing was that of the expenses and expenditure of none other than the Ceann Comhairle, Deputy O'Donoghue.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: Another issue was that of the additional €1 million in compensation for Mr. Rody Molloy. These issues-----

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Eugene Regan: -----are tearing at the heart of politics. It is important to record that Members do not stand over such expenditure and that someone must be held to account. I do not know whether Members on the Government side of the House are happy with this abuse of office because that is what it is. While there will be further debate on the issue this week, I consider this expenditure to be...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2009)

Eugene Regan: Over the last 12 months, the Government has appealed to the Opposition to work with it on various issues, including NAMA and the Lisbon treaty, with which it has been confronted in the context of the recession we are facing. It has been suggested that the Opposition's reasoned debate and our criticisms of some of the Government's policies have created uncertainty in the financial markets and...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2009)

Eugene Regan: It has been an effective apologist for the policies of this Fianna Fáil-led Government. I would like to ask the Leader a serious question about the statement made by the Tánaiste yesterday, when she criticised the validity of the bord snip nua report. We all have our views on that report. What has happened to the principle of Cabinet collegiality? The Tánaiste is not alone in...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Government needs to disseminate a message on the precise position on this matter so as to avoid threats from the United Kingdom Independence Party, Cóir and other nefarious organisations.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2009)

Eugene Regan: On a point of order, the Leader has addressed a question I did not ask and failed to address the question I asked about infighting in the Cabinet.

Seanad: Legislative Programme (24 Sep 2009)

Eugene Regan: This motion relates to the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 rushed through this House on 14 July, at which time we had a long debate on the need for proper examination and thorough vetting of the legislation. However, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, was insistent that this legislation could not wait and that a breakthrough in terms of tackling...

Seanad: Legislative Programme (24 Sep 2009)

Eugene Regan: I thank the Minister of State for his reply, albeit a very personalised one, to a legitimate question about the implementation of legislation. I intend to continue to raise questions about whether legislation passed by the Oireachtas is being properly implemented. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, specifically insisted there could be no delay in the...

Seanad: Legislative Programme (24 Sep 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Minister of State said the Government was not responsible for media speculation. On the contrary, the Minister issued a significant number of statements to the media - or they were at least attributed to him - indicating there would be a wholesale rounding up during the summer months of those involved in criminal gangs. That did not happen. Whether it will happen in the next three...