Results 1,061-1,080 of 1,591 for speaker:Eugene Regan

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: That has nothing to do with what I said.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996: Referral to Joint Committee (25 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: On a point of order, four motions are being referred to committee without debate. Perhaps the Leader will consider this. They concern EU legislation in the area of criminal law. On Thursday, the motion on terrorism is to return to the House, again to be taken without debate. We are often criticised for not scrutinising and debating EU legislation and it is suggested that it is introduced...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996: Referral to Joint Committee (25 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: I thank the Leader for that clarification.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: I refer to the statements by Declan Ganley, the chairman of Libertas, to the Sub-Committee on Ireland's Future in the European Union, which are reported in The Irish Times today where he calls for an EU constitution of no more than 25 pages, presumably like the US constitution. I do not know if this man is for real. God bless America and the American constitution, but Europe is not America...

Seanad: Agriculture Sector: Statements (18 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: In his statement the Minister, Deputy Smith said it was unfortunate that he missed last week's debate. I imagine he means it was fortunate he missed it because it was a very robust debate on the budget. The Minister's statement says precious little about the budget. He speaks about everything but the budget cutbacks in Irish agriculture, with a few general statements on the budget. He...

Seanad: Agriculture Sector: Statements (18 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: It is unfortunate the Minister did not set out in the budget any justification or rationale for the measures he adopted. That is the issue of the day. To speak about issues that are, and will be for some time, the subject of ongoing negotiations in Brussels, such as the CAP health check and the WTO, is to avoid the issue and that is what the Minister has done.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: I refer to a speech delivered this day last year. I will read out a few excerpts from it. It states: It is wonderful to realise that there is a new generation in Ireland which has never faced the hardship of high levels of unemployment, or . . . the bleak depression of forced emigration . . . As a people we will resist reckless economic policies or inappropriate fiscal actions[.]

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: I will come to that.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: One might ask who is this person: Ireland has used our exceptional growth rates to effectively manage the public finances in a way which has reinforced economic prosperity . . . I have made it clear, time and again——

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: It is merely——

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: I intend to identify it. It is——

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: Of course, I respect that. The person who delivered this speech is, in fact, Deputy Brian Cowen, the current Taoiseach, and it was delivered to the Royal Irish Academy last year. The point is that he stated, "As a nation we cannot progress equity without ongoing public investment in areas such as health and education which impact on our most vulnerable citizens." This is just one year out...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Fitzgerald. Let me refer to the cutbacks in the budget affecting the Irish Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority. The cutbacks proposed are 26% and 43%, respectively, whereas the allocation to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is reduced by 4%. I question the motivation of the Minister for...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: ——he has prioritised the fight against crime. The Minister cannot slide so easily out of this. He cannot undermine entirely the effectiveness of these bodies by making these disproportionate cutbacks. We have obligations under the Constitution, EU law and international conventions, and these are the bodies that ensure that the State and State bodies uphold the principles to which it...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: It is more partisan——

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: I ask the Deputy Leader——

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: ——if he agrees with that analysis and with the cutbacks in those two bodies.

Seanad: Criminal Assets Bureau Annual Report 2007: Statements (12 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: I thank the Minister for presenting this report to the Seanad in person. At the beginning of his contribution, he stated: "I am sure we all remember only too well the dark days preceding the formation of the bureau, when it appeared the State was impotent in tackling the menace of the drugs gangs and their murderous associates." I wonder what has changed? The situation has greatly...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: President Václav Klaus said: "Because of our communist past, we Czechs are extremely sensitive to the idea of freedom and democracy", and he draws certain conclusions from that. In his thinking Václav Klaus is caught in a time warp. We drew different lessons from our experience of, as Senator Quinn would say, a "Big Brother", and that has worked to our advantage. We joined a Community...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2008)

Eugene Regan: I join in the condemnation of the killing of an innocent man, Mr. Shane Geoghegan, in Limerick. The reality is that it is only when someone innocent is killed as a result of gangland criminality that there is an expression of outrage and demands for action. The reality is——