Results 1,001-1,020 of 2,500 for speaker:Ciarán Cuffe

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: A peace commissioner should not be appointed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell.

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: It is patently a political appointment to be a peace commissioner. If there is any role for a peace commissioner, it should be that of administering justice which should be beyond the party political remit. The Green Party wants change in this area. There have been many questionable appointments due to the existing system. If one examines the prison visiting committees appointed by the...

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: That is village chieftain politics rather than the politics of merit. I would rather see the politics of merit come to the fore. Last year when the members of the heritage trust were appointed, the Minister responsible, Deputy Roche, ignored An Taisce. If that is not spite, what is it? I cannot believe he passed over some of the people who have contributed most to the protection,...

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: The same Minister has appointed 400 persons to the boards of public bodies, while the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has appointed 1,900 in the past five years. Is it correct for Ministers to make such appointments?

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Can I be allowed speak without interruptions from the gentlemen across the floor?

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: I am happy to take questions in the Minister's time but not mine.

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Can I have my time?

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, can I be allowed to finish?

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: I would like to use my slot. As we do not get that much speaking time in the House, we use it to our best ability. The Minister gets much more time to speak.

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Many bodies such as Transparency International and the Democracy Commission have called for reform in this area. Even the task force on active citizenship noted the lack of public confidence in the bodies which the Government appoints. Many countries such as New Zealand, Australia and Canada have reformed their appointments processes. Appointments must be made on merit, not the individual...

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Hear, hear.

Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31 (28 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Under the terms of Standing Order 31, I seek the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss a specific matter of urgent importance: that the Minister for Transport make a statement to the Dáil on the reasons for the major pile-up on the N7, M7 and M9 motorways yesterday and state whether there were adequate warning or reduce speed signs in operation during periods when there was fog yesterday...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (27 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Question 81: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on the use of High Court orders for the management of unlicensed developments in view of the proposed removal of a slipway and moorings at Oysterhaven, County Cork. [11484/07]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (27 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Question 142: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention was drawn in advance of the practice by three State companies of channelling revenues through operations in the Netherlands in order to avoid corporation tax; and his views on such a practice in State companies. [11485/07]

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (27 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Question 353: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will put in place adequate public consultation and appeals procedures for the granting of planning permission for off-shore wind farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7474/07]

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Before I address the substantive topic, I wish to briefly take issue with the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell's remarks about the absence of certain representatives from the Chamber yesterday. He knows as well as I do about the demands placed on those in smaller parties. He is often conspicuous by his own absence from the Chamber when legislation...

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Second Stage (22 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: I am always concerned when a Minister lashes in legislation a matter of weeks prior to a general election, particularly when that Minister will have been on the go for five years by the time the legislation is enacted. It is dangerous to pass legislation quickly through these Houses at the 11th hour. I am extremely concerned at the Tánaiste's growing isolation from his former peers in the...

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Second Stage (22 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Baking a cake, possibly.

Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (22 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Deputy Broughan made the same Freudian slip as the leader of the Fine Gael Party in referring to section 31 rather than Standing Order 31. The restrictive nature of Standing Order 31 is not analogous to that of section 31 of the Broadcasting Act in its heyday when it restricted the right to freedom of speech.

Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (22 Mar 2007)

Ciarán Cuffe: Yes, indeed, it affected many who are now Members of this House. There are those who would argue that amendment No. 2 and amendment No. 17 in the name of Deputy Eamon Ryan involve inflicting a lifetime of purgatory on the innocent population. Sometimes in here it feels like purgatory. It is not quite the Big Brother house, but the Oireachtas has its moments and the people of Ireland and...