Results 7,361-7,380 of 7,648 for speaker:Rónán Mullen

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: I am concluding now. I ask that the debate on immigration include the question of an amnesty for people who came here as minors, who have been here for a number of years and who are of excellent character as testified by Irish people and others. Given that they do not have contacts they can rely on in their home countries, these people should be given their papers and allowed to establish a...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome the Bill, which presents us with an important opportunity, not only to reflect on the structures and mechanisms proposed but also to reflect on the importance of broadcasting in our society, the role media play in our society and how, as legislators, we should seek to influence things for the better using our broadcasting structures. We...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: I apologise to my colleague, Senator Donohoe. I was checking an important point of fact with Senator Norris and was unaware we were causing a distraction. I apologise to the Senator, the Cathaoirleach and other Members of the House for that. The matter I was raising with Senator Norris is a grave one. The Prime Minister of Great Britain, Gordon Brown, chose to meet the Dalai Lama in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: On another serious matter, when we are talking about cuts in public expenditure it is disquieting that given the importance of information and communications technology in our schools, an issue I have raised in this House in the past, the Minister for Education and Science was unable to commit to the spending of €252 million over a number of years as was originally proposed. It is also...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: I am. It would be a debate about waste. When doctors in University College Hospital, Galway have said that according to Australian research in equivalent situations, the standard level of overcrowding in accident and emergency department could result in between ten to 20 unnecessary deaths per year, is it not time for us to ask whether there is a huge and unnecessary waste of public moneys...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: It will be known as the Houses of the Oireachtas channel and will probably come to be known as "HOC". The Taoiseach is doing his bit to make proceedings lively in the other House and Senator Mary White is doing her bit here but we need a debate——

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: Can we have a debate on how we can make our proceedings interesting to the public so that when there is free-to-air television, it does not turn people off? It certainly will not be attractive to commercial investors and I doubt if there will be any advertisements on HOC. We need to consider how we can make our proceedings interesting in order that there can be more participation in our...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: If the Taoiseach cannot be good, he should, perhaps, be careful.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: I called for a debate on resources.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: It was the money aspect I wanted a debate on.

Seanad: HSE Child Welfare and Protection Services: Statements (21 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: I wish to share my time with Senator Pearse Doherty.

Seanad: HSE Child Welfare and Protection Services: Statements (21 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: I wish the Minister of State, Deputy Barry Andrews, the very best in his new appointment. He is a person of considerable ability and he will do well. I agree with Senator Mary White on how media-driven all our comments seem to be at present, both at Government and politician level. It is not bad when the media is to be commended on bringing issues of public concern to all our notice, but at...

Seanad: HSE Child Welfare and Protection Services: Statements (21 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: I also welcome Senator Mary White's references to the Council of Europe. At the outset, it is important that we start from the right philosophical and values base whenever we speak about child welfare and child protection services and the priority we give children in our society. The Council of Europe, for example, among other matters, spoke of the way we incarcerate young offenders with...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: We have often had debate in the House on the health service and will, no doubt, have one again soon. I would like to raise the issue of how we treat children with Down's syndrome and their families. I spoke to a parent recently who was advised by the school her child attends that the child is at a critical stage and would benefit from speech therapy. When the parents inquired about speech...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: Deputy O'Rourke would not stand for it.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: Senator Norris could take up two hours on his own, if the Leader lets him.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: On a point of order — I do so with some reservation — my colleague, Senator Regan, for whom I have a lot of respect stated earlier that the Libertas organisation, for which I have no axe to grind, lied on a number of occasions in respect of the current referendum campaign. I assure the House I would be as quick to my feet were such comments made in respect of an organisation campaigning...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: I heard a spokesperson for Libertas say he was not making the case specifically on abortion. I will now make my point of order and, I hope Senator White will support it. A word such as "lying" should not be used whether it be in the context of an individual or an organisation in the conduct of a referendum campaign, particularly given that we are trying to have a rational and courteous...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 May 2008)

Rónán Mullen: Senator Regan has privilege and he should not descend to the level of organisations which he rightly castigates for using such language.