Results 741-760 of 1,253 for speaker:John Crown

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I thank the Minister of State. He may be on the 9.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. shift as well. We may get to meet again.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: If the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, prefers I can begin my speech at the beginning.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Naturally, the famous monitor. The accusation that the Seanad deserved an unpardonable death sentence, with no possibility of a plea-bargain, in expiation for its great crime in inflating the Celtic tiger would have been extraordinary coming from anyone, but it was particularly extraordinary coming from our current Taoiseach, a former Leader of the Opposition, who, in truth, for reasons known...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Okay. I do not want the Senator to get repetitive strain injury but I must inform her that she may be waiting a little while for me to conclude.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I have a few more points to make. Will abolition of the Seanad address the democratic deficit? Effectively, there will still be a second level of scrutineers fulfilling the role set aside for this House, namely, examining legislation in a more dispassionate, non-partisan, technocratic, expert and contemplative fashion. We will not get the latter, however. Instead, what will happen is that...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Are we quorate?

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, to the House and thank my colleagues for returning and making up a quorum. For the sake of attribution, I called for the quorum. While many sections of the press and commentariat have already had a mini-referendum on the Seanad and abolished it, it is as yet one of the two Chambers of our democracy, which is one of the longest continuously...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: The Seanad became one of two highly dysfunctional Chambers which we have now in the Oireachtas. The catastrophe which befell the country in 2008 was due partly to the builders and partly to the property boom.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. There is something seriously wrong with our system of government. The evidence for this has been apparent for the past several years. Those of us who have a visceral, emotional and fanatical devotion to the concept of absolute democracy will freely admit that, to paraphrase the old adage, democracy is a terrible system of government but it beats...

Seanad: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (9 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to the House. I have always found it a great pleasure to deal with her as she is helpful, co-operative and respectful to us here. I will say a few words about the Bill and ask the Minister of State to go on the record with her opinions in this House as to whether in her various visits here, she has felt that legislation, motions and...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I associate myself with some of the comments of Senator Mullen, those which called for an increase in investment in hospice beds. Some of us have the sad duty sometimes of giving people very bad news. The hospice provides a wonderful source of comfort and solace for people, which some, but not all, patients will choose in the final phase of life's journey. What is fairly horrific is if a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Visa Applications (4 Jul 2013)

John Crown: On a point of information, I am totally confused. I do not know what we are voting on. The Cathaoirleach needs to take a minute to explain this.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Visa Applications (4 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Unamended. Therefore, we are voting "No".

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Dara Céim (Atógáil): An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed): Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Jul 2013)

John Crown: On a point of information, I am totally confused. I do not know what we are voting on. The Cathaoirleach needs to take a minute to explain this.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Dara Céim (Atógáil): An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed): Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Unamended. Therefore, we are voting "No".

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Will the Leader use his good offices to ascertain from the Minister for Health the schedule for Committee Stage of our Bill to protect children from the harmful effects of cigarette smoking in cars? First and Second Stages were taken more than a year ago. It was our hope that it would be in place to protect children during the summer holidays in 2012 but nothing happened. In January we had...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Transgender Health Issues: Discussion (4 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Is it systematic? Are there hospitals which will not deal with the health issues of transgender people?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Transgender Health Issues: Discussion (4 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I have been told there is one hospital which has a blanket policy that it will not deal with people who have health issues related to it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Transgender Health Issues: Discussion (4 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I apologise for not being present at the beginning of the presentation. I wish to make a point and ask a question. In Irish health care, there is a strange intersection of publicly funded institutions that are privately owned and accountable to entities that are not appointed by the public. This is a long way of saying that we have many hospitals that are run by the religious. Is there...

Seanad: Adjournment Debate: Tobacco Control Measures (3 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I am very grateful to my friend and colleague, Senator Conway, for giving me a moment to speak. I am very supportive of his efforts and request. We must understand that on no level is the tobacco industry collectively our partner. It is on every level the adversary of good governance and good public policy. It is us versus them - we "ain’t" partners on this. Senator Conway...