Results 8,581-8,600 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: That is not so.

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: It may surprise the Ceann Comhairle but we are not a one-party State.

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: I have raised-----

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: I have put what I think are reasonable points of order to the Ceann Comhairle and I asked him to rule on them. I find his response quite interesting. I challenge his interpretation that the Government proposes and the House disposes. We are not a rubber stamp. Every Member of this House has rights, some of which allow us to make Private Members' proposals.

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: We are normally allowed to ask questions and make Adjournment requests. The effect of the proposal before the House would be to stand down for the entirety of next week the rights of every Member of this House.

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: That is not acceptable. The Ceann Comhairle spoke about precedent. That will fundamentally change the relationship between Government and Parliament. It is not the case, and I will oppose the assertion, that the way the Parliament works is through the Government proposing and the House disposing. We have rights here.

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: We have rights as individual Members and as representatives of Opposition parties. It is the Ceann Comhairle's responsibility to defend these rights and to be fair to every Member of this House. The proposed motion, which apparently must be taken without debate, will in effect stand down the rights of Deputies. It is the Ceann Comhairle's job to defend our rights, ensure that every Member...

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: We saw the live register figures yesterday for the past month. There are 6,600 more people on the live register, meaning that there are about 440,000 people out of work. That does not include all those who have emigrated. Instead of having a normal week's business next week, Ministers are going on holidays and presenting us with a day and half's business in the House, beginning at 2.30...

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: A Cheann Comhairle, I regret that you put the earlier motion before we had satisfactorily concluded the issues I raised with you. You said that the House will be able to vary the Order of Business next week. I want you to tell us how we will do that. We will not have any Order of Business, any vote, or any Private Members' business, so how are we going to change the Order of Business next...

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: I do not care about that. It is the outcome-----

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: That is fine. It is the outcome that concerns me. When I raised the issue and drew your attention to the Constitution and to what was in the motion, you told us that we would be able to vary the Order of Business for the House next week. I am going to keep you to that. You figure out how to do it, because we want the Order of Business varied for next week. We want a normal week's...

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: I am putting it to the test.

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: As far as this proposal to adjourn until 2.30 p.m. next Wednesday is concerned, the Labour Party opposes it. If we are going to have an anodyne week it might as well start on Tuesday as Wednesday.

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: I wish to raise two matters, both of which are points of order. The first is that Members of this House are entitled to make a point of order. With respect, a Cheann Comhairle, you must take the point of order and hear it. I appreciate that there has been a bit of ruaille buaille in the course of the-----

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: I think the Kilkenny colour is a deeper yellow.

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: The Greens of late are a weak yellow. I join with Deputy Kenny in welcoming Dr. Paisley and his wife to the House. This is an historic occasion. The Government proposal before the House this morning in regard to next week is unconstitutional, a matter I will deal with later. I want first to deal with the political context for this proposal. The Government had originally intended that there...

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: -----which are outstanding, one for a year, would be held next week in conjunction with the referendum on the rights of children. If the Minister, Deputy John Gormley, had got his act together by now in respect of the Lord Mayor of Dublin-----

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: -----we might have had that election too. The Government does not want to hold the by-elections. It is afraid of facing the people. There will not, therefore, be by-elections next week and, because of this, the Government cannot hold the referendum on the rights of children next week. It is quite a cynical position on the part of Government in terms of it being prepared to sacrifice the...

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: That type of order for an entire week's business is arrogant. It shows a Government that is out of touch and that is abusing its majority in the House. It is a muzzling of Parliament. I submit that the proposal is not constitutional. I draw the attention of the House to Article 15.11.1 of the Constitution which states: 1° All questions in each House shall, save as otherwise provided by...

Order of Business. (3 Jun 2010)

Eamon Gilmore: Let us suppose an issue arises in regard to the flotilla approaching Gaza or that there is a national emergency of one type or another.