Results 10,261-10,280 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Income Data (27 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: The latest available estimates of disposable income per person at county level relate to 2011. Disposable incomes per person in Longford for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011 were €18,792, €17,787 and €17,158. Disposable incomes per person in Westmeath in the same years were €19,263, €18,386 and €17,856, while disposable incomes per person in Dublin...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: Yet, to include that phrase in the Constitution would force our courts and our judges to decide upon a definition of a wording which is something they clearly cannot do.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: Some Deputies were of the view that the Oireachtas should not define what is an issue of conscience when passing legislation. However, they stated that they supported a constitutional amendment that would require the courts to define what is an issue of conscience for Members of the Oireachtas.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy will have an opportunity to speak for ten minutes on the motion.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy just wants to hear what he wants to hear.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: Deputy Catherine Murphy said that less than 3% of the public are members of political parties but she ignored the fact that even in the local elections in May - a very good election for non-party candidates - more than three in every four voters supported candidates from political parties.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: Deputy Wallace confirmed that between 1981 and 2010, a total of 54 Deputies have voted against their party. He failed to acknowledge that some of those Deputies went on to hold ministerial office. As we have seen from this morning's debate, any Deputy can vote against the Whip, and the speakers today have done so. The Whip system in the Dáil is a matter of choice. This country, unlike...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: Despite the fact that our State was only established in 1922, just 93 years ago, it has a history of stability and democracy that stands in sharp contrast to many of our European neighbours. Our State in its history has faced many challenges, including civil war, near economic collapse and a long struggle with paramilitary groups. Despite this, the Irish people have never allowed the light...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: On a point of order, the Deputy should be asked to withdraw that remark.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: Deputy Troy should have asked Deputy Mathews to brief him on the Bill so that he would have been able to speak on the substantive part of the Bill-----

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: -----instead of having a general rant about everything, but that is the way it is.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: I thank all the Deputies who made contributions to this debate. It is interesting that in many of the Deputies' contributions it was clear that there was a very broad understanding of what should and should not be a matter of conscience. As I stated earlier, for some of the Deputies who spoke, social issues are matters of conscience, while for others, economic issues are matters of...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: I hope you are not saying I am bad person.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: I ask you to withdraw it.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: That is my mandate. The same is true of the Members of this House who stood under the Labour Party, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, People Before Profit Alliance or Socialist Party banners. The voluntary nature of the Whip system has been seen repeatedly in this Chamber since 1922. Deputies who have put their names before the public as representatives of a political party have chosen to...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: Instead they choose to vote for candidates they know are going to be part of the type of Whip system that is not unique to the Dáil but is a feature of parliamentary democracy around the globe.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: Any process of reform of the Whip system must not lose the benefits of our Whip system. Those commentators who claim that a Parliament free of a Whip system would be a utopia ignore the realities that in democracies with very weak Whip systems all too often the loudest and best organised lobby groups hold sway and wealthy interests who can fund their own election campaigns have an advantage....

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: We introduced an additional Leaders' Questions slot each week. We have reformed the Oireachtas committee system so there are fewer committees but they are more effective. We introduced a new Oireachtas inquiry system under which the banking inquiry is now operating. The process of Dáil reform is ongoing and although there will always be the possibility of improving the way our...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: I would like to acknowledge that there is a third member of Government in the House. Deputy Rabbitte is also present. I understand that Deputy Rabbitte is still a member of the Government.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhaltaí de Thithe an Oireachtais) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2015)

Paul Kehoe: I want to acknowledge the Deputy for the work he has put into drafting and preparing this Bill.