Results 8,321-8,340 of 12,593 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I wish to share time with the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dick Roche, and, possibly, the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Dara Calleary.

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Yesterday, the leader of Fine Gael told us tabling a motion of no confidence is not something one does every day. In that he is right, but it is the only right thing he said. It is, of course, the right of the Opposition to table a motion of no confidence when it believes it is truly warranted in the national interest, but it is not something to be done for mere narrow political advantage....

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The constant background noise from the Opposition and elements of the media has been one of doom and gloom, and even where there are hints of positive or constructive news, the Opposition rushes to assure people that there is a tunnel at the end of that particular light. It spent the past four weeks, it has to be admitted, very effectively drowning out the Government's message. However, the...

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Every one of us who serves in Government and on these benches hears what the people are saying. The people need reassurance that we are on the right path. We are. They want to know that the pain we are enduring will herald better times. It will. They want to know that the Government is sure and confident of the decisions it is taking and that it is taking them in the best interests of...

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The Labour Party opposed the bank guarantee, bank recapitalisation and the nationalisation of Anglo Irish Bank, while Fine Gael supports the guarantee and rejects the Labour Party's call for nationalisation. The pivotal moment was reached at the end of April when Fine Gael put forward a policy document on the floor of this House, Rebuilding Ireland, which encapsulates its fundamental...

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: The ever-widening gaps between the parties are not confined to economic issues.

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: As Minister for Defence, I was interested to read what Fine Gael's Deputy Timmins had to say in his Ard-Fheis speech last April when he recommitted Fine Gael to abandoning our military neutrality and described the policies pursued by this and previous Governments as "a twilight zone". That is yet another vitally important area of policy where Fine Gael and the Labour parties are in polar...

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: -----and the firm resolve to get the economy moving again.

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: We will achieve this with or without hindrance from the Opposition.

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: We will not get out of our current difficulties with Deputy Kenny's rehearsed outrage, any more than we will get out of them with Deputy Gilmore's soft options.

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Telling the public that Fine Gael will cut spending-----

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: -----without telling them the areas in which it will make those cuts or telling them that it will spend more without identifying from where the money will come is dishonest politics.

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: In return, the public has used Fine Gael, Labour and the Independents as a stick with which to beat the Government-----

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: -----but that is a very different proposition from electing the stick to govern the country.

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: As we are debating this motion, there are people-----

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Shatter should have some interest in this matter; people were systematically abused in institutions over many years and some of them are now broken adults. They are marching today in silent protest.

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: They were led to believe, and they are entitled to expect, that the debate on the Ryan report would coincide with that march.

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: I hope for that reason, if for no other-----

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: -----that every unwhipped Deputy will go into the lobbies tonight-----

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Willie O'Dea: -----to reject the amateur theatrics and the Punch and Judy politics to which Fine Gael has descended and let us get back to the business of governing this country.