Results 6,461-6,480 of 9,753 for speaker:Terry Leyden

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Terry Leyden: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Kitt, to the House. This is an interesting debate on constituency revisions and the Bill. The commission is composed of very worthy people and they are very conscientious, but they rely on the statistics and personnel of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. With respect, I do not know whether one can have a...

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Terry Leyden: It was so I could cross the Shannon to canvass Longford.

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Terry Leyden: The point is that it broke every rule. I regret to some extent not taking a High Court case because I was eliminated, having lost part of Galway and gained Longford. The survey did not comply, and that is why I would not give much hope to a High Court case because the commission broke the rules on natural boundaries. The River Shannon is the largest river in these islands.

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Terry Leyden: Yes. It divided us right down. The constituency included two provinces, Leinster and Connacht, two health board areas and two tourism areas. Everything was separate. However, the commission had no regard for any submissions I made to it. The same applies to part of County Offaly, where the President of the United States has roots. Part of that area is gone into Tipperary, which is very...

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Terry Leyden: Deputy Brady's home area was transferred from his constituency to that of Meath East. The Minister is in a difficult position. He must comply with the legislation under which the commission was set up. We do not want to return to the Tully gerrymandering which benefited Fianna Fáil in 1969. Those days are gone. This is a step in the right direction, but the matter needs to be looked at...

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Terry Leyden: No, they would not, but they might express an interest in certain areas. I remember the creation of a particular four-seat constituency in north Dublin. As somebody involved in the commission was very anxious for an appointment, he did not do any harm to the sitting Deputies.

Seanad: Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Bill 2009: Second Stage (20 Jan 2009)

Terry Leyden: I thank Senator Mary White for sharing her time. I welcome the Minister. He is the right man at the right time in the right place and I congratulate him on his effective work in the Department of Finance. He has a great onus of responsibility and he has made the right decision. I disagree with Professor Morgan Kelly, whose despicable article appears in The Irish Times today. It is a...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: Successfully.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: On the last occasion when I raised the case of Pamela Izevbekhai in the House, I received a phone call designed to intimidate me——

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: ——and discourage me from pursuing Ms Izevbekhai's case. The caller suggested a number of grounds for refusing her and her two daughters to remain in Ireland. He also informed me that he would campaign to ensure I would not be returned to this House on the next occasion.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: I request the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to grant amnesty and residency on humanitarian grounds to this lady and her two beautiful daughters, Naomi and Jemima. They are a lovely family. All of us should call on the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, to allow this case on special grounds, coming up to Christmas time. No greater gesture could be made by the Government,...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: You are a humanitarian, a Chathaoirligh.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: Not really.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: True.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: That is right.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: I ask the Leader to plan to have a Minister of a different Department before the House to be questioned by Senators every week. This would enable Senators to have a dialogue with a Minister with responsibility for a different area each week and to discuss the development of policies. The House should have a role in this area. While joint committees serve a great purpose, they are not a...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: The reactivation of the Tallaght strategy would be a positive development.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: Senator Buttimer is the lost leader of Fine Gael. The housing sector is in a critical position. A large number of surplus houses are available and small developers will go out of business next year unless action is taken. At the same time, the State pays more than €300 million per annum in rent subsidies. The Government could purchase as many houses as possible at the lowest possible...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2008)

Terry Leyden: It was close to falling two weeks ago. The building is not in great shape but the proposed works had to be deferred.