Results 7,261-7,280 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Commissioner Phil Hogan (23 Jun 2015)

David Norris: I see; in agriculture.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: I second Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh's amendment to the Order of Business. It seems extraordinary that things should be done in such a rush. I do not blame the Leader. I believe this has come about because we were late in transposing an EU directive and that it was stuck in at the last minute. This shows very bad administration on the part of Government. The Government should be...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: I am well aware of that.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: This is the printed Order Paper for the day. There is not a whisper of it. It only came through at 10 o'clock. The Bill is welcome. This is a response to the Deepwater Horizon environmental tragedy that took place in the Gulf of Mexico. When dealing with people such as Shell Oil one certainly needs to be up to date in terms of safety provisions as it will skimp on every single thing. It...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: There is no Minister for the bloody arts.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: It is on the-----

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: I am loath to interrupt the Minister, but I am wondering if copies of her speech will be made available to us.

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: They are held in trust ---

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: Read it in the media, ha, ha.

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: Yes.

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: I welcome the Minister. This is an interesting day for the Seanad. It is democracy in action. We have forced this debate, basically, by our action in defeating the Order of Business today, but the Leader has dealt with it in his usual courteous way. It is an interesting exercise in democracy. It also shows the relevance of the Seanad. This is why the people kept Seanad Éireann. It...

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: The situation is that the paintings have not been displayed for 20 years and the foundation has made that point, but it is the responsibility of the foundation to the display them. It is not up to us; we did not even know the bloody things existed.

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: Representatives of the foundation have clarified that 17 masterpiece paintings were donated by the Beits. Of course they were. We know this because our friends in the Provisional IRA raided the place. We have them to thank - I thank those in Sinn Féin very much - for a series of appalling and violent raids on the house.

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: The terms of the foundation are to promote and further the advancement of education in fine arts in Ireland. How is it doing that by selling off the paintings?

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: It makes a mockery of the whole ethos of the thing. I am not surprised at the figure of €400,000 given the number of gardeners, cleaners and so on. I am not surprised that it would cost that much. Anyway, why on earth do they not have an aggressive marketing campaign? They have the Blessington Lakes, the Sally Gap, the Dublin Mountains and Russborough House.

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: Yes, but I am talking about in that particular area.

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: We could really bring in people. They only had 25,000 visitors.

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: That is more or less negligible. Then there is the question of the conflict of interest. It seems to me to be a very clear conflict of interest. Mr. Rainbird has not clarified whether he took part in these decisions. I am glad to say the Trinity representative was the only voice, as far as I know, who actively opposed this sale. I believe the foundation should be dissolved and replaced....

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: I am not saying that Senator O'Donnell did. However, we should move forward and look at what can be done. We should look at the Castletown experience. That was saved by Desmond and Mariga Guinness. It was handed over then to the Office of Public Works to administer, a very happy conjunction. I believe this is what should happen again. Reference has been made to the £1.4 million. I...

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

David Norris: There is no point in having them if we do not display them.