Results 7,001-7,020 of 7,583 for speaker:Rónán Mullen

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: I am pleased that, in light of the developments of the past 24 hours and since it looks very likely that the Irish Congress of Trade Unions will respond to the Taoiseach's invitation and that we will not have the folly of a day of action on Monday, it is not necessary for me to propose the amendment. It is worth repeating, however, what I said previously, that leadership is what we need at...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: ——valiantly seeking to defend gender balance on RTE last Friday night. The person sitting in his chair now might have been better qualified to do that.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: The Labour Party is in the dark already.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: It was my intention to propose an amendment to the Order of Business today to debate a motion tabled by Senator Ross and me that Seanad Éireann views with concern the proposal by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to organise a one-day strike and calls on it to cancel that proposed day of action, acknowledging as we do that the recent budgetary provisions have led to serious inequities,...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Dáil]: Second Stage (24 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Nuair a bhí mé an-óg ar fad bhí a ainm i measc na hainmneacha a d'aithin mé, i dtús báire i toghcháin áitiúla agus ansin in olltoghcháin. Is cuimhin liom go raibh páirt beag agam i roinnt de na feachtais sin, ag cabhrú le colcheathar liom. Ag an am sin, ní raibh aon teorann leis an méid póstaeir nó ní raibh ard caighdeán ag baint leis...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Dáil]: Second Stage (24 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: On a point of order, is a copy of the Minister of State's speech available?

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: Can we still afford it?

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: It is sometimes like the Bermuda triangle in the Chamber.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: I wish to echo the call for a debate on the universities. While I welcome the merger and it is good to reach a critical mass of academic and research power, I also echo Senator Alex White's point that education is not simply about the economy. Members should recall Newman's idea of the university and the importance of arts and humanities. I also wish to stress the need for openness in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: Will the Leader consider the position of an older person — perhaps an ill person — encountering a sign in Cork University Hospital cordially inviting him or her to an interactive lecture on the subject of why euthanasia should be legalised? How might such a vulnerable person feel? Would he or she think it proper that a speech on why euthanasia should be legalised was funded by public...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (11 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: My query relates to the need for the Minister for Education and Science to indicate when Springdale national school in Raheny will be permitted to proceed to tender, to clarify under what criteria schools are deemed "priority" and to indicate for how long schools are expected to remain on the priority list while awaiting approval to proceed to the next stage. This school has been delayed in...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (11 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: Do I take it there will not be any question of waiting to see if the school is on a list at some future date and that there will be an automatic authorisation to progress to the invitation of tender once it is established the documents are in order?

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: They have bicycles so they do not get stuck in traffic.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: With the agreement of the House, I wish to share my time equally with Senator Ross.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Finneran, to the House and I commend my colleague, Senator O'Toole, on tabling this motion. I recall my own words in my maiden speech on my first day in the Seanad in which I expressed my hope that at the next election, I would not have the embarrassment of meeting graduates whose degrees were as good as mine but who were not in a position to vote for...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: I also wonder at the proposal to have a Cathaoirleach who is automatically re-elected. It makes much sense in the context of the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil, who is unable to undertake the normal day-to-day constituency work that is a particular feature of Dáil Members' work. However, given the role of the Seanad, the idea that the Cathaoirleach would be re-elected automatically does not...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: The lesson of the past ten to 15 years is that we need more parliamentary scrutiny, not less.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: However, to avoid eating into the time of my colleague, Senator Ross, I will conclude on this point. As we seek to reform how the Seanad is elected, we must also reform the work we do here. This is vital in terms of addressing the weak parliamentary system in this State which is militating against proper scrutiny by elected representatives of legislation and Government policy.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: Or at lunchtime on a Thursday.

Seanad: Irish Language: Statements (11 Mar 2009)

Rónán Mullen: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus ba bhreá liom a rá go bhfuilim an sásta go bhfuil an deis seo againn an Ghaeilge agus cúrsaí Gaeilge a phlé sa Seanad go háirithe i gcomhthéacs Seachtain na Gaeilge a bheith tagtha. Is dócha go bhféadfaí a rá faoin nGaeilge go bhfuil ana chuid daoine sa tír ní hamháin buíochas le Dia go bhfuil go leor daoine go bhfuil Gaeilge líofa agus...