Results 6,501-6,520 of 7,604 for speaker:James Bannon

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: How do we know it involves a potential charge?

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 37: In page 16, between lines 40 and 41, to insert the following paragraph: "(a) such reports on the Nedap Powervote system which present a comparative analysis of the reliability, security, integrity and verifiability of that system as compared with other systems of electronic voting which are in use in other countries, or which are available for acquisition,". We should...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: In 2001, the Government promised it would not introduce electronic voting without all-party agreement. The Government reneged on that promise at huge expense to the State which is why I am pressing the amendment. Amendment put.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 5: In page 6, lines 5 and 6, to delete subsection (9) and substitute the following: "(9) Where it is proposed to make an order under this Act, a draft of the order shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas. (10) The order shall not be made until a resolution approving the draft has been passed by each such House.". Due to the breadth of the orders the Minister may...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I am disappointed by the Minister's response. We are elected by the people to serve them and it is important we do not undermine public confidence. The amendment deals with the issue of transparency and I am not prepared to withdraw it. Amendment put.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I second those amendments. I compliment my colleague, Senator Quinn, on tabling those amendments, the purpose of which is to prevent danger to the proposed system. They are seeking to provide for safety precautions and the Minister should take them on board. I was annoyed at the Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government when it was claimed by the company, employed by the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: We will all pass away some day or other. It is important that the Minister of State take those amendments on board.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: It is important that the public has confidence in the electronic voting system which is chosen because confidence in the electoral system is the bedrock of any democracy. While the Fine Gael Party is in favour of electronic voting and has indicated that support on numerous occasions, we want a system that can be trusted. I compliment the independent commission on its fine work. The commission...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: Fianna Fáil did not listen to the advice given to the committee.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I support the amendment and I agree with the sentiments expressed by Senator McCarthy. The Minister is director of elections for Fianna Fáil and that represents a conflict of interest. Under the code of conduct for local authority members, they must declare their interests in absolutely everything before they even attend a local authority meeting. During the run up to the last general...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: They are not abiding by it. They——

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: Deputy Cooper-Flynn——

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: The Minister referred to a former Minister for the Environment who was a member of my party.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: That was an honest Government. It was a Government of integrity and decency and none of its Ministers ever came before an investigative tribunal. They were all decent, honourable men and we are proud of them.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 3: In page 5, before section 1, to insert the following new section: 1. —(1) No electronic voting system may be adopted for use in an election or referendum unless all parties in Dáil Éireann are in agreement on all aspects of the adoption and use of a particular system of electronic voting. (2) Nothing in this Act or any other enactment shall permit the trial,...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: It refers to political parties.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: Former Taoiseach Deputy John Bruton alerted the Taoiseach to many of the issues, which became findings of the independent commission, as far back as 8 April 2002 in the run up to the last general election. If the Taoiseach had taken Deputy Bruton's views into consideration then and established an all-party committee, it would have saved the country a great deal of money. We are the guardians...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: It originated in the Oireachtas.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: If she can find him, will the Leader invite the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, to the House to debate the failure of the Government's policy to ease inflation in the housing market? We saw in today's press that some €17.5 billion has been borrowed from lending agents by young couples trying to acquire a house of their own. This proves Government...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: The Government has failed to deliver on its policy to deliver houses for young people trying to set up a home of their own.