Results 8,501-8,520 of 9,753 for speaker:Terry Leyden

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Dec 2004)

Terry Leyden: That is a problem with Deputy John Bruton and not with me.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Dec 2004)

Terry Leyden: Put him out.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and congratulate him on his reappointment as Minister of State at the Department of Finance.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: He is a driving force to ensure that decentralisation takes place.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: From his experience as president of a major nationwide organisation, he knows the needs of rural Ireland. I know of no better person to assist in this regard. In last year's budget Deputy McCreevy had the commitment and foresight to ensure that Ireland gains an urban-rural balance by announcing details of a major decentralisation programme. This was a monumental and far-reaching decision...

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: The historic announcement means that towns——

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: I will come to Senator Finucane in a moment. If he wants to leave now, my advice is to go soon because I am coming to the crunch.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: This is the build up. I agree with Senator O'Toole whose approach has been most constructive. Mr. Phil Flynn was appointed to oversee the implementation of the programme, not to unearth anything about it. Let us get that right. I would like to have seen the PIAB relocated outside Dublin as well. It would have been a help.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: That is grossly unfair.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: The Opposition has been trying to destabilise and derail the process of reviving the regions over the past 12 months. The previous decentralisation programme involved the relocation of approximately 4,000 public service jobs. The programme announced last year is far more radical involving a total of 10,300 Civil Service and public service jobs——

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: ——to 53 centres in 25 counties. The Opposition does not want it.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: The Opposition is doing everything it can to oppose it but we will have it. Ireland needs decentralisation which will benefit all involved in the regions, the public service and the general public. The programme announced last year complements and builds on the process of previous decentralisation initiatives which employed over 4,000 people in 20 decentralised offices.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: I was going to hold on for a bit more but I will not. Seeing that the Senators want it, I have decided I must now come to the crucial point. Do Opposition Senators remember a previous leader of Fine Gael, a great man called Alan Dukes?

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: Alan Dukes was ditched, like John Bruton. Fine Gael ditched all the good leaders.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: Alan Dukes was a man of great foresight with the Tallaght strategy.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: In December 1983, which is not long ago——

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: ——former Deputy John Wilson confronted the then Minister for Finance, Mr. Alan Dukes — the Iron Duke — as to why the decentralisation project agreed in 1980 was being shelved. Mr. Dukes, a Fine Gael Minister, said——

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: He said: The results on the concentration of population and the quality of life, both in over-populated and under-populated areas, are matters on which I and many others agree. We can see the ill effect of both situations. The decentralisation programme would have cost a further £45 million and that was a material consideration which had to be taken into account. It was one of the main...

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: When Fine Gael went into Government it announced a major decentralisation programme.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Terry Leyden: Fine Gael cannot disown its former leader. The party removed him, sacked him and got rid of him, but he said——