Results 10,181-10,200 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I am absolutely 100% on the amendments and I agree with all of them. This mini-Seanad well have nothing but civil servants on it and people stuck in by the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: He is the one bellyaching about the fact that we are not properly elected; he stuck in 11 Senators, so he should know about it. Now he wants to stick in the whole bloody lot. Come on. I am worried. I am being a little light in my touch but the concern is quite genuine and is right through government. I am very worried about what is contained in these sections.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: Senator Byrne was not here.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: That is what I thought; he was an unnoticeable.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I cited that.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: The Minister is helpful with his explanations, but I am still concerned for a number of reasons. He stated that these powers already existed, presumably under the other emergency legislation that started in 2009. I have a feeling that I voted against them, although I am not 100% sure. I know that I voted against benchmarking and the bank guarantee. In any case, the powers remained dormant...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I am not.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: Exactly. I believe that I am discussing that idea, as we are being told that these powers are justified by the emergency. There is a serious situation, but it is not an emergency. The real cause is the dysfunction of the entire system. I sincerely hope that the Minister is right. I said the same to Brian Lenihan when he sat where the Minister is sitting now. Sadly, he proved not to be...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: The Minister may mean that the taxpayers are our paymasters, but they no longer are. Neither are the citizens of this country our paymasters. Unfortunately, our paymasters are located elsewhere and are the interests of capital. I oppose that. We need to find a more nuanced system, one that is a hybrid of capitalism and socialism.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: We would be interested in the Minister's comments.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I shall pass it to the Senator.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I will make a final comment and then we will move on. This is one of the Bill's most important sections and I am grateful to the Minister for his clarity and honesty and for placing on the record the subsection in the 2009 Act. This section is bad, but that subsection was worse. They are both damnable. If I was around, and I must have been, as I voted against the bloody thing-----

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I am "ag'n the Government", whatever its complaint.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I thank the Minister. His information has been helpful. My instinct is 100% against this provision, but I would be overwhelmed and it is time to move on and face the reality. The arithmetic does not stack up to give us a chance, but at least we will have put the arguments on behalf of the people, just as the Minister's heart is on their side. I do not envy him his job. When I was in my...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: The troika members are our paymasters.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I will vote against the section because it contains a fundamentally coercive element, which concerns me. It undermines democracy when we say to people that they can vote but that if they do not vote the way we want, we will give them a slap. That is basically what is in this section. The Minister may say we are in difficult times and we need to take drastic measures. He is well able to...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I thought I had escaped the working class but it seems to be all over the place nowadays.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I do not say that.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I must correct the Minister. What I said was that an incorrect impression had been given that none of the judges, or a tiny minority, had accepted voluntary cuts - 85% did.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)

David Norris: I am sorry to interrupt but I wish to make one brief comment. The Minister has confirmed what I felt in what he said and I regret that. He appeared to suggest that people had no right to withhold their assent from these proposals.