Results 6,301-6,320 of 7,583 for speaker:Rónán Mullen

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (30 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Is there a date for the debate?

Seanad: Renewable Energy: Statements (25 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: I will appreciate any indulgence going in that regard. I compliment my colleague on an interesting conceit in order to make a valid point on seeing money as the symbolic representation of energy. It is certainly not the symbolic representation of renewable energy because the way we have thrown good money after bad with our banks in recent years is not renewable and certainly not sustainable.

Seanad: Renewable Energy: Statements (25 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: The European Commissioner, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, pointed out recently that when we take in Ireland's maritime territory, we could be considered to be the third largest country in the European Union, with the continental shelf around our island being one of Europe's largest seabeds. She stated that although much remains undiscovered, this underwater land mass presents vast opportunities for...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: I support what Senator Mooney said on the Order of Business. It was an excellent example of a contribution that does not involve a question to the Leader but which none the less needs to be heard in the House and, as such, is worth noting. The key issue is that we need to keep our dignity as a nation, and that applies to the people who will be out marching. It pains me to turn on an...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: A reduction in the number of teachers in schools may lead among other things to ordinary and higher level class groups being taken together. This will hit the weakest. The students who may have learning disabilities will not get the attention they need. Although hard choices have to be made, we must continue to be discerning in the making of those choices. This is nowhere more necessary...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: If I counted correctly, Fintan O'Toole wanted three dictators. It is appropriate that it would be a trinity.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Viktor Frankl, the famous and eminent concentration camp survivor, said the following: We who lived in the concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing-----

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: I am coming to it.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: He said, "The last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." It is very important to bear in mind the need that we retain freedom to choose our attitude in this time of crisis. There is a lot of anger and negativity towards politicians and the political system. We have to lead by example in this House. The way the media...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: -----allowing of course for heckles of sufficient quality.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Perhaps we could do with communication of a higher quality-----

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: -----in the way the Government parties talk to each other also because, if we are seen to be taking a dignified approach in politics, we will inspire others to adopt a similar approach to the way we deal with our problems. We are not in concentration camps, but there are people in our world who are concentrated in camps of poverty. We all hear the advertisements for Bóthar and Trócaire....

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: I agree very much with what Senator Donohoe stated and admire the way he stated it. I do not say this from a partisan point of view. Yesterday I spoke about the confidence game that has been played during the years. We have had a corruption of language and a culture of spin and they have to be brought to an end. It should not be the case that the Governor of the Central Bank is the one to...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: I am asking the Leader-----

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: -----to accept and agree with my proposition that we have to have humility to learn from our mistakes. We will also have to consider what it was in our political system that allowed us to be led into this situation. We have had too much cronyism in government. There has been a certain collusion between the Government and the media-----

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: -----and no one was in a position to scrutinise seriously what was going on in recent years. If we had had a stronger Legislature, where instead of sucking up to Government or Opposition leadership, politicians saw themselves as having a responsibility to scrutinise and assess what the Government was doing, we might not have let ourselves fall into this hole. If we have the grace to learn...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: I will conclude on this point. There is a startling statistic that not a single student who commenced a university course in pharmacy or medicine in 2008 or 2009 came from an unskilled background. This statistic shows that the issue is not whether we reintroduce university fees but how we invest in primary and second level education-----

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: -----in order that children from lower socio-economic backgrounds can gain the points necessary to attend university and from the benefits of life.

Seanad: Death of Member: Expressions of Sympathy (17 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Ní thógaidh mé i bhfad. Ba bhreá liom chomhbhrón a dhéanamh le mháthair Kieran Phelan, a bhean chéile, Mary, agus le Martina, Brenda, Fiona, Patrick agus Noah. I did not know Kieran very well but like others who are relatively new to these Houses, I could fairly describe him as having a gentle reassuring presence. There was something especially warm about the man and about the way...

Seanad: Death of Member: Expressions of Sympathy (17 Nov 2010)

Rónán Mullen: It seems to me that when one has gone through that system, one is prepared for much that life can throw at one. Certainly, I think Kieran's gentle and reassuring presence would be welcome in these particularly difficult times when the mood has changed around here because of the challenges our country faces. This is to say that I hope it is not goodbye and that we will meet him in a better...