Results 981-1,000 of 2,017 for speaker:Paul Bradford

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the very interesting contributions made by two of our distinguished new colleagues in the House this morning. I was particularly taken by a comment of Senator Martin McAleese on the obligation on us all to have respectful or sensitive commemorations of the various historical events that will occur in the next decade or so. Almost six years ago I asked in this House that the then...

Seanad: Biological Weapons Bill 2010: Second Stage (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: I welcome Minister of State to the House. It is appropriate that as she has responsibility for development and, I presume, development co-operation, she is bringing forward legislation. Looking to the future with regard to international conflict and warfare, it will be trade rather than treaties and co-operation rather than confrontation on which we must focus. The history of mankind...

Seanad: Water Charges: Motion (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: I am glad to have an opportunity to comment on the Private Members' motion before us. I welcome the political discussion we are having. It would be preferable to have the discussion in the form of statements than a debate on a Private Members' motion. The attempted provocation by Fianna Fáil Senators is amusing. It must be difficult for the Fianna Fáil Party even to dream up a Private...

Seanad: Water Charges: Motion (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: Trying to reinvent history and give a nuanced presentation of politics is a difficult feat, particularly with regard to water charges or anything to do with local government. I heard my Government colleague, Senator John Whelan, speak about the 1977 Fianna Fáil manifesto. Some 34 years on local authorities are still trying to deal with the crisis caused by Fianna Fáil's first bankrupting...

Seanad: Water Charges: Motion (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: That is the history of Fianna Fáil on water charges, rates and service charges. To use an awful phrase, we are where we are. It is time we had a balanced and mature debate on water charges and the broader question of local authority funding. Our system of local government is broken. Rather than a simplistic motion on water charges or household charges, the Seanad should debate the funding...

Seanad: Water Charges: Motion (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: The Department of Finance provides projections. I am glad of the interjection by Sinn Féin. Sinn Féin economics was practised, although not in this country. It was practised beyond the Berlin Wall throughout eastern Europe. Not only did it ruin half a continent, it also ruined people and families.

Seanad: Water Charges: Motion (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: Seeing as Sinn Féin has tried to travel to the middle ground, it has had to change many of its policies, not just those on economics but also those on history and mayhem. I welcome its conversion from bullets to ballots but-----

Seanad: Water Charges: Motion (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: -----I want to try to bring this debate to reality.

Seanad: Water Charges: Motion (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: I welcome Sinn Féin's conversion from bullets to ballots and its recognition of this House and its presence herein. The Sinn Féin Senators' colleagues will tell them that, in the past ten to 15 years, I have had many fruitful discussions with Sinn Féin, North and South. I welcome people who have decided democracy is the way forward. We are debating water charges. I reject the simplistic...

Seanad: Jobs Initiative and Competitiveness: Statements (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: I also welcome the Minister of State to the House. His background and expertise in business has been mentioned and I am sure he will bring his experience to his position. It is welcome that more and more people with a business background are becoming actively involved in public life and being elected to Dáil Éireann. We had a brief discussion on the Order of Business this morning on the...

Seanad: Jobs Initiative and Competitiveness: Statements (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: Finn Harps.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: Yesterday, the Leader made an excellent suggestion on organising in the coming months a series of debates on the individual components of the programme for Government. Will he use that opportunity at an early date to debate political reform? The programme contains a commitment to set up a commission to examine our system of politics, including electoral reform. I support Senator Crown's...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: A broad debate on urgent reform is needed. We are engaged in a great deal of introspection in this House but we need to consider the broader political picture, including local government, the Dáil and, in particular, the electoral system. We have to recognise that our electoral system, which may have been fit for purpose in the Ireland of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, is no longer fit to...

Seanad: Fourth Report of the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection: Statements (7 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: I thank the Senator for a succinct contribution. I call Senator Ivana Bacik who has six minutes. No Member appears to want to use the full time available, which is welcome.

Seanad: Fourth Report of the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection: Statements (7 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: I thank the Minister. When is it proposed to sit again?

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: During the term of the previous Seanad, we discussed the Croke Park agreement and had an informal arrangement to continue that debate. It would be opportune for the Leader to arrange with the Government to have a substantive debate on the Croke Park agreement, which is deemed to be central to economic recovery. There was a commitment to substantial savings in public expenditure. If we are...

Seanad: Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (1 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: There are no points of order-----

Seanad: Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (1 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: The Minister has concluded the debate.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jun 2011)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the initial statement of the Leader on his plans for "in-house" reform. I fully support the idea of European commissioners and MEPs addressing the House, as was the case a number of years ago. The Leader should take the obvious step of ensuring that each Minister will come before the House at least once every five or six weeks, as they do before the other House, to account for...

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (25 May 2011)

Paul Bradford: I congratulate you, a Chathaoirligh, on your not unexpected but well deserved promotion to high office. I am sure you will do a superb job. I also congratulate Senator Maurice Cummins on becoming Leader of the Seanad. Senator Cummins will bring to the House not just a great deal of experience but a different sort of political tradition which we often speak about, namely, the long-standing...