Results 10,261-10,280 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

David Norris: It is not true of all gardaí but the evidence is clear in the case of Deputy Clare Daly.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

David Norris: So was mine.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

David Norris: I thought she was targeted. The information was leaked. Do not defend corruption that has occurred.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

David Norris: The Senator should withdraw the presumption that it is appropriate to handcuff a Member of the Oireachtas after they have not been found guilty.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

David Norris: I shall resist the temptation to deal with any of the tempting morsels, such as abortion and the protection of human life during Pregnancy Bill, because people are so polarised. I will also resist the case of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, although I would be interested to know what other public figures he has felt free to smear in the last couple of years. However, I...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

David Norris: Yes, I am asking for a debate on this subject because of the very great seriousness of the implications of this kind of legislation. There was also a great deal of well-intentioned intervention from the forum platform. Things were said, one such being that it was gravely concerned about involving the convention in a current political controversy. Why, for God's sake?

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

David Norris: The chairman said he feared this would have consequences for our independence. It most certainly would. It would show we were independent. Ms Nora Owen spoke to me and the chairman afterwards and said that at a crucial time in the Northern Ireland talks the two sides attending were presented with a rigid agenda by the two Governments. They decided to extend the agenda against the wishes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Heads of Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013: Public Hearings (17 May 2013)

David Norris: I commend the Chairman for his clear and decisive chairing and indicate to my colleagues that buffoonery almost invariably tends to discredit a viewpoint, however well intentioned.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Heads of Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013: Public Hearings (17 May 2013)

David Norris: It is very much welcome that the Title of the Bill includes the words "protection of life" as it provides space for the many of us in the Oireachtas who are strongly pro-life and also strongly pro-choice. It is a timid step and very little, very late. I regret that it does not deal with fatal foetal abnormality, incest, rape and the health of a woman. If it was the health of a man, there...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2013)

David Norris: I shall be writing to him.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2013)

David Norris: The Senator is right.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2013)

David Norris: No. They were very good.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2013)

David Norris: I join Senator Ivana Bacik in welcoming the splendid debate held last night. It is a significant development that the two Bills are now on the Order Paper and can be fully debated in the House, with the co-operation of the Leader. It is regrettable, however, that this significant development did not make the news. All we had were a few rather pallid interviews and a discussion on "The Late...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2013: Second Stage (15 May 2013)

David Norris: It will scarcely be enough to recite the crimes of this lot. We are being handed out as a sacrifice, as a little lump of meat in order that the ravening voters can savage what is handed out as a deceit by the Government for its own crimes, for what it did. I remind the Minister that we are precluded from tinkering with the economy, but, of course, the people have an appetite to kick...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2013: Second Stage (15 May 2013)

David Norris: It is very important that we save the Seanad because we are a check, although an imperfect one. I have campaigned for the past 30 years for reform of the Seanad and every time we have returned I have tabled the decisions of all-party committees for debate and every time Governments of different complexion have voted against them. It was my proud privilege, as father of this House, to give...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2013: Second Stage (15 May 2013)

David Norris: I admire the Minister because I admire affrontery. I have never seen anything quite as dazzling as the Minister's affrontery here tonight. In fact, it calls to mind the popular association between political neck and the undercarriage of a jockey as he approaches Becher's Brook. I prove this from what the Minister said. He said with regard to the Seanad and this Bill that any decision for...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2013)

David Norris: It is a wise man who knows his own father.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2013)

David Norris: I disagree with my colleague, Senator Byrne, as there is no dearth of legislation at all. Anyone who looks at the Order Paper can see this quite clearly. It contains more than 30 Bills and there are three or four pages of Bills listed. I have never seen so much legislation on the Order Paper and have never seen less in the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2013)

David Norris: The reason for this is not the responsibility of the Leader of the House, who is a good and efficient Leader. It is because a decision has been taken by the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, and his colleagues to downgrade Seanad Éireann and deliberately to inhibit it in its work in furtherance of his purpose to extinguish this organ of democracy. This is what is going on. It is a...