Results 6,681-6,700 of 7,583 for speaker:Rónán Mullen

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Hear, hear. It is a load of botox.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2010)

Rónán Mullen: I wish to comment on the George Lee matter, as I support Senator Harris's remarks. This situation sends out a bad message about the need for perseverance. If there is one quality that we all need as we deal with our challenges, it is perseverance. Tá an-bhrón orm go bhfuil cosc ar chraoladh an aifreann ach uair amháin sa mhí ar Raidió na Gaeltachta. It is disappointing Raidió na...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2010)

Rónán Mullen: It can be done. It is not a luxury, but a necessity for many. Tá súil agam go ndéanfaí athbhreithniú ar an cheist seo agus go ndéanfaidh Raidió na Gaeltachta cinneadh eile ar leas na ndaoine ar fad.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Feb 2010)

Rónán Mullen: I support the comments of Senator Regan, Senator Ross and others about the reversal or partial reversal of the pay cut to be endured by higher remunerated public servants. I am struck by a different element of this issue, which is the question of access to power. It appears to be very easy for people at a certain level of society to secure consideration of their needs. Not for them letters...

Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (3 Feb 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. As someone who was born and bred in rural Ireland, I grew up in an environment in which dogs and cats were an essential part of every farm, whether for herding cattle or sheep, hunting or guarding property. I am often struck by this thought because as I now live in Dublin, one of the joys of returning home, apart from meeting the folks, is the opportunity to...

Seanad: Head Shops: Statements (3 Feb 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Stick to the constituency.

Seanad: Head Shops: Statements (3 Feb 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Ba bhreá liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire. I am glad the Minister of State is present. From discussing other issues with him, I am aware that he is an extremely practical individual. I am delighted by his attitude and that of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. I welcome the fact that the Government proposes to take action in the matter. We should consider banning not...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Feb 2010)

Rónán Mullen: I support what has been said by various speakers, particularly the remarks of Senator Bradford. I, too, seek a debate on how we are treating the most vulnerable members of our society, particularly older persons in nursing home care. As Senator Bradford correctly pointed out, this concept of a one-size-fits-all solution to the needs of older persons in our society is to be deplored....

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Feb 2010)

Rónán Mullen: It is appalling that this could be the reality. Senator Norris has suggested that it is somebody's church, but it is much wider than that. We should not play politics with this issue.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Feb 2010)

Rónán Mullen: We should not play politics with this issue but focus absolutely, unconditionally and consistently on all vulnerable people in our society. I also support Senator Bacik's remarks about-----

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Feb 2010)

Rónán Mullen: -----unaccompanied minors disappearing. It is not an argument for the HSE to say there is no evidence that they have been trafficked. It is appalling that they are going missing in the first place. Any other comment is superfluous. Can we have a debate at the earliest opportunity on how we are treating the most vulnerable members of our society, in particular older persons and people with...

Seanad: Employment and Competitiveness: Statements (21 Jan 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Thanks to Senator Carty I will take home the phrase that one was never at a shop boy's funeral, and add that to the list of seanfhocail and phrases from a particular time and place in Ireland, which say so much. Ireland is now facing one of the most challenging periods in its history. The global credit crunch, the collapse of the property bubble, the...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jan 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Go raibh maith agat. I dtusach báire cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Áine Brady. Deputy Kenny proposed some months ago that he would put a proposal to abolish the Seanad to the people in a referendum. As we all know, that was a bizarre exercise in populism.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jan 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Yes, we have heard all about leader's initiatives and so forth. The reason we heard about this leadership initiative was that he knew it would resonate with the people.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jan 2010)

Rónán Mullen: The reason it has resonated with the people is that the people cannot have confidence in a Chamber whose Members they have no part in electing. There is a credibility problem with the Seanad; it does not fit in with the spirit of the times owing to its electoral system. I accept what Senator Brady said. It is true France has a system of les grands électeurs who are representatives of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)

Rónán Mullen: Guím gach rath ar mo chomhghleacaithe don téarma amach romhainn. As others have done I welcome Senator Mooney to the House. I both envy and sympathise with him because it is not normal that one gets to hear so many tributes to oneself in one's lifetime outside one's retirement. I also sympathise with him because the number of tributes paid to him is greatly in excess of the number of...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)

Rónán Mullen: I am asking seriously for a debate on the media in which we will not be hearing just rants about the media, but also constructive thoughts about how we can get the right balance between media freedom on the one hand and the right of all members of the public, including people in public life, to good standards on the other. On a number of occasions in the past year I have raised not only the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2009)

Rónán Mullen: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Caithfidh mé a rá, mar adúirt mé inné, go bhfuil an-bhrón orm go bhfuil an chéim seo tógtha ag an Rialtas. Táim glan in aghaidh na gnéithe seo den Bhille. Bhí an liúntas leanaí an-tábhachtach riamh do theaghlaigh na hÉireann. Is bealach é trína léiríonn an Rialtas an tacaíocht atá á thabhairt ag an Stát agus an sochaí dóibh siúd a...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Rónán Mullen: Ba bhreá liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. Tá sé deacair d'éinne a ghlacadh cé chomh deacair is atá rudaí sa tír aon cáineadh a dhéanamh ag an am seo. Is léir go raibh rudaí deacra le déanamh sa cháinfhaisnéis. Ag an am céanna, ní féidir a shéanadh go bhfuil daoine maithe gonta toisc na cinnithe atá tógtha ag an Rialtas. Tá ceisteanna le chur faoi...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2009)

Rónán Mullen: I welcome Senator Ó Brolcháin. I wish him many happy and successful years in national politics. I extend the same welcome to Senator James Carroll because I was not present when he joined us for the first time. The ordinary people continue to lead the way when it comes to generosity in situations where people are in desperate need. I took part in a Newstalk debate on the amazing and...