Results 1,001-1,020 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Derek McDowell: In a sense, this is a "nothing" budget. There are no ideas in it – certainly no big ideas. More often than not, that is good cause to be thankful when dealing with the Minister's ideas because most of them have caused us grief over the years. However, on this particular occasion, there was a need for greater ambition and greater innovation than we have seen. The real budget happened two...

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Derek McDowell: If we are talking about a serious programme of decentralisation strategically organised in places in which we want to see growth based on the spatial plan, then that is fine. However, that is not what we are talking about. We are talking about Senator Leyden and his mates in County Roscommon being able to go around next June telling people they have got 250 jobs or whatever or that they may...

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Derek McDowell: Senator Mooney, I am in a minority in my party, as we Dubs are in all parties.

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Derek McDowell: I am in a minority in my party, as we Dubs are in all parties. Occasionally, we have to speak up for ourselves and for those civil servants who want to stay in this glorious city of ours. My party supports a serious programme of decentralisation which is intended to provide for regional development based on the spatial strategy. I do not see that in this plan. What I see is a programme for...

Seanad: Order of Business. - Budget Statement: Motion. (3 Dec 2003)

Derek McDowell: Stop it.

Seanad: Address by Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I join with others in welcoming Ms Scallon to the House. I suspect I would not agree with many of the views she has expressed but there are many thousands of people who do and it is good that their views find reflection in the European Parliament. I wish to take her up on the two issues on which she concentrated, that of the European project and the issue raised by Senator Henry. I have a...

Seanad: Address by Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: Was Michael O'Kennedy or David Andrews – I am not sure which – not appointed by the Government to the committee that drew it up in the first instance?

Seanad: Address by Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I refer specifically to the charter of rights. I believe it was Michael O'Kennedy.

Seanad: Address by Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I am simply saying that the Taoiseach was well aware—

Seanad: Address by Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: He had appointed somebody who had participated in drawing up the charter in the first place.

Seanad: Address by Ms Nuala Ahern, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: On behalf of the Labour Party, I welcome Ms Ahern to the House. Whatever our differences, our parties tend to find themselves on more or less the same side of the argument on most issues, both here and on a European level. In a sense, that is reflected in her own family background; her father was to the fore in progressive politics in both our parties at various times. I offer belated...

Seanad: Address by Ms Nuala Ahern, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I am surprised.

Seanad: Address by Ms Nuala Ahern, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I had an idea Ms Ahern would say something like that.

Seanad: Address by Ms Nuala Ahern, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: The irony about this document is that most of the signatories are British Tories who have no problems with the nuclear industry.

Seanad: Address by Ms Nuala Ahern, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I agree with Ms Ahern. It is all the more surprising that he turns his back on the process.

Seanad: Address by Ms Nuala Ahern, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I was agreeing with her.

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2004: Statements. (26 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: Senator White does.

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2004: Statements. (26 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I welcome the opportunity to address the issues raised by the Estimates. Surprisingly, I found myself agreeing with many of Senator Minihan's comments, the valediction of the Minister and the Government excepted. His economic commentary, however, was interesting and I agreed with much of what he said.

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2004: Statements. (26 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I did not have the same problem with Senator Ross. I managed to get through his contribution without agreeing with any of it. If the opposite was the case, I would be worried. I am not sure that Senator Minihan's comments sit comfortably with Government policy. He said we should not be deflected from prudent borrowing simply to stay within the stability pact. He also suggested that we should...

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2004: Statements. (26 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: That is the point I made earlier. What he does is determined by political considerations, not what he claims to believe economically. There is a serious difference of view between us on the issue. It is reflected in how we approached the last few days in Brussels. What happened this week was the inevitable outworking of a pact that is fundamentally flawed. I agreed with the President of the...