Results 9,321-9,340 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: In deference to my colleagues who want to speak on other amendments, I will save my comments for the debate on the section.
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: That is how the newspapers will report it.
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: All of this would be obviated if we were given the rate for the job, full stop. That is what I am proposing in the amendment that was ruled out of order. I do not want to have to apply for this or that allowance. I do not want to have to keep records. I probably will not apply for any of these allowances because I could not be bothered. I find the whole thing insulting. As I said, we...
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: That is reason enough to abolish the payment.
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: Absolutely.
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: According to one newspaper, €500,000 was being sought.
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: How does the Senator know that?
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: How do we know these people are getting the allowance?
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: I would like to raise to raise an issue in that regard.
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: I am sure it is, but I intend to speak to it when we come to deal with the section.
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: That is what I am going to do. I am just looking for some information. Can the Cathaoirleach tell me what is meant by "declaratory in nature" and "outside the scope of the Bill"?
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: Is there any forum in which we can discuss them?
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: I thank the Cathaoirleach, but everything he has said thus far is declaratory in nature. Everything I have said is "declaratory in nature". Everything said in this House is declaratory in nature. These words could be used to rule anything out of order.
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: On my amendment being outside the scope of the Bill, the scope of the Bill is determined when it has passed. Part of our obligation is to change the scope of the Bill, even the principles.
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: I understand the Cathaoirleach is bound by his rulings and I am not challenging them, but they are daft and do not assist in the process of democracy. I am not blaming the Cathaoirleach for this.
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: I will be addressing this issue in some detail later. This is more pettifogging. All of these allowances should be abolished because we will simply have more paperwork. We have to request the allowance and keep accounts and bills for six years, in other words, we will have to operate an accountancy department in our offices. My personal assistant works around the clock and does overtime...
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: I look forward to seeing the vouching. It will be the biggest laugh on Earth. Will the details be published or will we have to make freedom of information requests?
- Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: That is all right. This is something I will harp on about during the debate. Time and again, Governments have conspired against Independent Members to put them at a disadvantage. It was the same during the presidential election. A hoo-ha was made about the Constitutional Convention, but it voted by a majority of 95% - the highest proportion in any vote - to recommend changes that would...
- Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: Approximately €150 million.
- Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (13 Nov 2013)
David Norris: Go raibh míle maith agat. Is onóir dom cúpla focal a rá tar éis bháis an iar-Seanadóir, Eamon de Buitléar. It is appropriate that I commence with a few words of Irish even if I stumble over them because Eamon de Buitléar was raised in an Irish speaking family. His father had a very distinguished career. He was a colonel in the Irish Army and...