Results 941-960 of 1,591 for speaker:Eugene Regan

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: I am in the middle of my question.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: When the Minister takes advice from auditors, accountants, consultants or legal firms, I ask that he seeks independent legal advice and ensures they are not acting for other parties who have an interest in the same transaction. We might thereby make better decisions and better legislation in these Houses. I would be much obliged to the Leader if he could address that question.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: Respect the Chair.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: There is a headline in The Irish Times today, "Irish recovery plan provokes harsh criticism from Brussels", the plan to restore its public finances and come within the 3% limit for Government deficits, which the Government submitted to Brussels. We have the highest public deficit in Europe at present. The Commission says the plan is unclear, underdeveloped and that the "sizeable cumulative...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: On 20 January we debated the Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Bill 2009. When we look back at the information the Minister provided during that debate in the Seanad, we can see how dangerous it is to rush legislation and provide no adequate time or opportunity for this or the Lower House to vet legislation. Three times in his responses, the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy...

Seanad: Recapitalisation of Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland: Statements (12 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: We are learning more each day about the banks and their nefarious activities, such as directors' loans and how transfers are classified in accounts. We are also learning more about how the financial system is regulated and the failures in the system. In particular, we are learning about the failures of Government and the Cabinet, of which the Minister here present, Deputy O'Dea, is a...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (12 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: I tabled this matter because of the health and safety risk posed by the poor state of the existing building at Newpark comprehensive school and the fact that the Department of Education and Science confirmed as long ago as 2000 that the most economically efficient way to improve the dilapidated condition of the school was to reconstruct the main building. The school has 800 pupils and its...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (12 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: I welcome the news that the building work at Newpark has been approved to proceed to the planning stage. I know it will be welcomed by all those involved in the school, which is exceptional in terms of its policy on intake, its adult education centre and its general role in the community. I thank the Minister of State for the welcome news. I am pleased that my representations might have...

Seanad: Recapitalisation of Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland: Statements (12 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: Neither is the Minister for Finance.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: It really is embarrassing to be associated with this Government and even those of us in Opposition are tainted. For the avoidance of doubt, Fine Gael does not acquiesce in, endorse or approve of the economic policies of this Government nor of its policy on the banks. We have the proof of why we have adopted this type of position. Senator Mullen talks about ethics in government. It is a...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: I have. We are not necessarily blaming the Minister for his lack of qualifications and experience for the job. Normally, it would be a prerequisite to have some such qualifications to be Minister for Finance, but he is a lawyer and it is the lawyer's training to read his brief. We now know the Minister did not do that. This is a document of which he should have been a master, digesting it...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: The two issues I want to put to the Leader are regulation and how much is being hidden by the Government concerning Anglo Irish Bank and other banks. Our international reputation is at stake. The economy depends very much on the Irish Financial Services Centre and asset management funds in Dublin. Will the Leader comment on that? Until December, despite this report and what we now know is...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: We expected better from the Minister. It is disappointing when the incompetence of the Minister has been shown up in this regard. Will the Leader agree that the Minister for Finance is on borrowed time?

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: It was more a confession.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: It will be in his own time.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: I refer to the Taoiseach's speech at the Dublin Chamber of Commerce function last week, in which he——

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: I am introducing my question to the Leader. The speech showed a new realism by the Taoiseach and indicated he was getting a grip on the issues in the economy.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: It was an off-the-cuff speech, on which I compliment him. As speeches go it was a good speech. He said we all need to pull together and only on that basis will we get out of these problems, which is an important point. However, in our respective roles in this, the Government governs. The Taoiseach has earned the right to govern because at the last general election he convinced the country...

Seanad: Road Network (5 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: I welcome the Minister to the House to deal with this matter, which concerns a forgotten road in the Dún Laoghaire ward, Pottery Road. It is in the Dún Laoghaire development plan to redesign and reconstruct that road and there has been a part 8 procedure and a recent public consultation. It has been decided at local level in the council to proceed with the improvement scheme for that...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Feb 2009)

Eugene Regan: Senator Harris expressed irritation at all the talk in this House and the questioning of Government economic policy. He suggests that we need a national Government. The reality, however, is that politics is a battle of ideas, exchange and dialogue as to what are the best policies for the State. That is what parliamentary democracy is about, pure and simple. The Senator may feel...