Results 821-840 of 1,591 for speaker:Eugene Regan

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jun 2009)

Eugene Regan: I do not think people on the Government benches can claim it is business as usual after last week's elections. Just as Standard & Poor's has downgraded this country's sovereign debt rating, the electorate has downgraded the Government's rating. It is indisputable that the people have issued a vote of no confidence in the competence and ability of the Government to manage the economy and...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: Senator Walsh should respect the Chair.

Seanad: Monageer Report: Motion (27 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: No doubt this is one of those terrible tragedies about which it is difficult to speak. Suicide is always a difficult subject, particularly in this case when it involves an entire family. The "what if" question in a suicide situation is especially difficult, both for all the members of the wider family and all those who had any interaction with the people who, essentially, are the victims of...

Seanad: Monageer Report: Motion (27 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: ——on the motion to present the full report to the joint committee for consideration? The point of the motion does not concern the Government's redacting of a published public document.

Seanad: Monageer Report: Motion (27 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: What is the legal impediment to referring the report in full to the joint committee? The Kelly Fitzgerald case set the precedent for this. Will that precedent be followed?

Seanad: Monageer Report: Motion (27 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: I have not used that word.

Seanad: Monageer Report: Motion (27 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: We are discussing this House.

Seanad: Monageer Report: Motion (27 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: On a point of order, I made specific statements. The Minister of State has attributed something to me, although I do not necessarily disagree with it. I have addressed particular comments and questions to the Minister of State and I ask that they and nothing stated in the Lower House or elsewhere be dealt with.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: Another rushed job.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: I will mention a subject covered in this morning's The Irish Times, that is, a report on the 2009 summer scientific meeting of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. It points out that alcohol has been blamed for 6,500 deaths in Ireland in the past five years and more than 3 million hospitalisations. We all know that Ireland has one of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Irish Medical Organisation and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland have made recommendations. France is also a good precedent, as its total ban on advertising has worked. Will the Leader arrange for a debate attended by the relevant Minister?

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Second Stage (21 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: I take issue with Senator Walsh's statement in which he attacked the Judiciary. That was entirely inappropriate. Our Constitution sets out the separation of powers and it is incumbent on every Member of this House and the Lower House to respect that provision. Senator Walsh overstepped the mark when he attacked the Judiciary.

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Second Stage (21 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: I appreciate that. It is easy to condemn an entire business and profession. There are rogues in every business and there should be legislation, sanctions and enforcement procedures to ensure they are held to account. That is the basis for the demand for this legislation to regulate the profession. If there is a failure in the system, it is a failure to provide the necessary legislative...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: I understand the motion re European Commission proposals on Schengen evaluation mechanisms is to be taken without debate this morning. Will the Leader arrange a full debate on the Schengen Agreement, perhaps when this evaluation has been carried out? Given that the common travel area between Ireland and the United Kingdom is the subject of major revision at present, it is important for us...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (20 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Government should have got it right the first time.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Seanad has come in for a lot of criticism lately, some of it fair and some of it unfair. In my experience, this House provides an excellent forum for exposing corruption and incompetence in Government, for scrutinising legislation and raising issues of public concern and public interest. It has stood the test of time and Irish democracy would be poorer if the Seanad was not to continue...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: There was an example and an exhibition of gutter politics in the House last week when Senator Leyden attacked George Lee and RTE's objectivity in respect of its economic reporting.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: While Senator Ó Murchú is more polite, nevertheless it still is the same attack on RTE's reporting and its objectivity in recent months. It also constitutes gutter politics even though it is more polite. When there is positive news on the economy, it is correct to report it, but the reporting by one economist on RTE of some positive news, to which I referred in the House last week,...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: -----will not be as speedy as was originally intended. While all Members wish to get out of the current economic mess, if one wishes to continue with the economic lie that we have talked ourselves into recession and if one has learned no lessons about attacks such as that by the former Taoiseach on those who should commit suicide-----

Seanad: Order of Business (14 May 2009)

Eugene Regan: He referred to those who talked about a problem in the economy and the unsustainability of economic policies. I will conclude by asking the Leader a question.