Results 901-920 of 2,304 for speaker:John Browne
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: It is important that we protect the democratic process. There is no place for populism such as abolishing the Seanad, reducing the number of Deputies and everything else that costs money.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: I have been holding ten or 12 clinics a week for the past 29 years.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: No one has ever come to me suggesting we should abolish the Seanad or reduce the number of Members of this House. People come to me about matters such as protecting hospitals, renewing medical cards, school extensions and so on. The people respect democracy. I agree that we need to substantially reform this House and the Seanad in a way that makes it more relevant to the ordinary people.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: I do not agree with the manner in which Senators are elected, a view I have made known on several occasions. The Minister is at the wheel of power of the Government. He is next in line to the Taoiseach.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: The Minister, Deputy Hogan, is the Taoiseach's eyes and ears and has been his voice on many occasions. He was also the Taoiseach's protector when in Opposition. I have no doubt that the Minister has his own views on this matter. I doubt that the Minister agrees with abolishing the Seanad or reducing substantially the number of Members of this House. I ask that the Minister reconsider the...
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: -----and appoint an ordinary citizen to the commission.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: The Minister should seriously consider it. I welcome the Bill which the Minister promised some time ago. He has probably excluded a number of areas we would have expected to see included in terms of reform.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: The Government has gone part of the way with the reduction of expenditure on Presidential elections, which is good, but I doubt if it has gone far enough. It is welcome that by-elections will be held within six months of a vacancy arising. For political reasons all parties failed to hold by-elections when they should have.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: Fine Gael and the Labour Party did the same during my time in this House and delayed the holding of by-elections when it suited them. We did the same.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: We are getting away from that now.
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: My party will fully support having a six-month deadline for the holding of by-elections, which is a good idea. At some stage in years to come we might do what is done in local authorities, whereby replacements can be co-opted without the need for a by-election. Perhaps we should consider that option, but I am sure it is way down the road. I welcome the Bill, although I have reservations...
- Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (5 Jul 2011)
John Browne: We will table constructive amendments.
- Common Agricultural Policy (29 Jun 2011)
John Browne: Question 29: To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Fisheries and Food the progress made to date in relation to reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. [17630/11]
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Jun 2011)
John Browne: Question 427: To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Fisheries and Food when a single farm payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford [17344/11]
- Written Answers — Care of the Elderly: Care of the Elderly (28 Jun 2011)
John Browne: Question 456: To ask the Minister for Health when a home care claim by a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be approved [17345/11]
- Twenty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (No. 3) Bill 2011: Second Stage (28 Jun 2011)
John Browne: I commend my party colleague Deputy McConalogue on presenting this Bill to the House, as it affords us the opportunity to highlight the importance of adoption and the continuing need to make progress on the wider issue of children's rights. Last year, adoption was very much to the forefront in respect of the concerns of prospective parents wishing to adopt from Vietnam. I had many...
- Written Answers — Teacher Training: Teacher Training (22 Jun 2011)
John Browne: Question 87: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the professional development service for teachers support service is compensating the education centres in the country adequately for hosting and providing in-service for the programme; if he is satisfied that teachers are receiving a high standard of continuous professional development through the use of PDST; the evidence of...
- Special Educational Needs (22 Jun 2011)
John Browne: I wish to share time with Deputy Mick Wallace.
- Special Educational Needs (22 Jun 2011)
John Browne: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise on the Adjournment the loss of six special needs assistant, SNA, posts at St. Senan's primary school, Enniscorthy, County Wexford, which will cause severe problems for the running of the autism centre there. The school has an autism unit with an open enrolment policy. The principal, Mr. Henry Goff, and his staff allow all children...
- Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (21 Jun 2011)
John Browne: Question 93: To ask the Minister for Finance when a tax clearance certificate will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [16333/11]