Results 901-920 of 1,591 for speaker:Eugene Regan

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2009)

Eugene Regan: The reality is the Standard & Poor's re-rating of the credit worthiness of this country is already reflected in the market. It is simply res ipsa locuitur, the facts speak for themselves. The slip of the tongue or otherwise where their representative suggested that this country needed a change of Government, change of face, change of Ministers, again simply reflects internationally the lack...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2009)

Eugene Regan: I am pleased to say my phone is turned off.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2009)

Eugene Regan: I mentioned last week that as long ago as 2001, when the European Commission gave the first signal that Ireland's economy——

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2009)

Eugene Regan: I will be brief. The first time the European Commission issued a warning to the Government was back in 2001 with regard to the budget of that year when Charlie McCreevy was Minister for Finance. Again we got into a huff. The Commission told us then that the spending of the Government, despite the surplus in our public finances, was unsustainable and again we rejected that because we knew...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2009)

Eugene Regan: I just want to make this point because it is very important.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2009)

Eugene Regan: This is a specific question for the Leader. Fine Gael made proposals of how to save €2 billion when we were asked. The Minister asked for pre-budget submissions or views from the Opposition and Deputy Richard Bruton and Fine Gael have done so today. This is a unique, specific, Fine Gael perspective on the public finances. I ask the Leader to confirm that the Opposition has engaged and...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Leader has missed the point.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Government has not learned a lesson.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2009)

Eugene Regan: It is a mirage now.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2009)

Eugene Regan: On a point of order, I believe that case is ongoing and I am not sure Senator O'Toole is correct to comment on it in the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Eugene Regan: Let me refer to an article in The Irish Times today concerning the comments by the German Social Democratic Party spokesperson on European affairs, Mr. Axel Schäfer. He stated Germany is prepared to assist countries within the eurozone that are in economic difficulty but that "It can't be the case that, in a referendum, people say 'we don't need Europe, Europe is hindering us' and then,...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Mar 2009)

Eugene Regan: The past few weeks have been good for this country. The welcome that Brian Cowen received in Washington from President Obama was very uplifting.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Mar 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Taoiseach, Deputy Brian Cowen. The victories on the sports field and Bernard Dunne's victory in the WBA super bantamweight title fight were also good for the country. It just shows what we are capable of. We are all agreed that the most severe economic crisis is confronting the country. We have gone through the process of denial, which is common with economic bubbles. There is denial...

Seanad: Health Services (12 Mar 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Senator is winning already.

Seanad: Local Authority Funding (12 Mar 2009)

Eugene Regan: This issue is raised in the context of the general economy. It is the issue of the fixing of development levies that apply to residential developments and businesses. Sections 48 and 49 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which commenced on 11 March 2002, provide for general, special and supplementary development contributions. These levies, which are chargeable by local authorities,...

Seanad: Local Authority Funding (12 Mar 2009)

Eugene Regan: I thank the Minister of State for his response. While I appreciate that he anticipates local authorities will revise downwards the level of development levies, I would have hoped for some guidelines and initiative from the Minister in regard to local authorities. I fully understand it is a reserved function as set out in the legislation but the local authorities are bound by guidelines...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2009)

Eugene Regan: Yesterday, the Taoiseach observed that the budgetary position was a moving target and that it was difficult to gauge the economic growth rate. Initially, a growth rate estimate for this year of -2% was produced, followed by one for -4% and then another for -6.5%. This does not inspire confidence that the Taoiseach is in control of the figures or forecasts or that there is some element of...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2009)

Eugene Regan: At least we have moved to the phase in which the Government recognises the existence of acute economic and public finance problems that must be addressed immediately. All political parties will play their part in this regard and it is important for them all to work from the same base. However, Members do not have to hand the figures and policy options in respect of this budget. I seek the...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2009)

Eugene Regan: This is the Taoiseach's last chance in this regard because if he does not succeed on this occasion and does not get it right, we face guidance from the European Commission or the International Monetary Fund as to how to get out of our economic problems.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission: Motion (10 Mar 2009)

Eugene Regan: The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, and its role, are important to policing in Ireland. Confidence in the Garda Síochána is absolutely fundamental to support for the police force in the detection and successful prosecution of crime. The importance of this body is highlighted by the figures which have emerged on the number of complaints it received between May 2007 and the end of...