Results 1,101-1,120 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: Anyone reading this short Bill will clearly see that it does not have an impact on other country pursuits.

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: There have been misleading and exaggerated media reports over the past few months from various hunting organisations that this Bill is evidence of an all-out attack on the hunting fraternity. Let us have some facts and figures to dispel this notion. In 2007, my first year in office as Minister, there were over 4,500 various licences issued by my Department under the Wildlife Acts. The...

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: I hardly think this constitutes an attack on traditional field sports and rural pastimes, as one of the recently formed organisations claimed. The vast majority of people involved in legal hunting in this country will have nothing to fear from the enactment of this Bill. My Department will still be issuing licences for deer hunting. Fox hunting is not affected by this Bill. While I...

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: It has been said that this Bill, along with the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill, is evidence of an attack on rural Ireland. I am aware that some Deputies have concerns with regard to certain aspects of the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill and I have given assurances that I will table amendments to this Bill during its passage through this House to address these concerns. Any suggestion...

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: I am not surprised by the Fine Gael attitude-----

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: -----but I am disappointed at the cynical decision by the Labour Party to abandon its opposition to blood sports.

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: It is on the record. In the past-----

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: -----senior members of the party, including its current leader, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, and the former leaders, Deputy Pat Rabbitte and Deputy Ruarí Quinn, publicly stated their opposition to blood sports, including stag hunting. It is all on the record. Now, in a complete U-turn, the party is to vote in favour of blood sports when the wildlife Bill to ban stag hunting comes before the...

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: Three years ago, Deputy Eamon Gilmore was urging an end to stag hunting as he considered the stag to be a domesticated animal and now his party has deemed itself satisfied that this practice should be allowed to continue. For the Labour Party, the vote on stag hunting is about more than animal welfare. It is a test of the party's convictions and principles. It is a test of whether the...

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: I am sure the Deputy opposite has a domesticated pet.

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: I want to explain the seriousness of this issue to the Deputy. It is very easy to understand.

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: If the Deputy has a domesticated animal at home and if a number of people came to him and said they wanted to hunt that animal down with hounds and people on horseback, I believe he would be rightly outraged, even if they said they would give the animal back to him in one piece. That animal would be running for its life, and the deer in Meath is running for its life. That is unacceptable...

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: The vast majority of people engaged in hunting activities will continue to enjoy their pastimes following the enactment of this legislation. I look forward to engaging in constructive debate on this legislation, and I commend the Bill to the House.

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: Are there really? The Opposition is like the Stasi.

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: Rubbish.

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: Will the Deputy clarify that?

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: This is dreadful stuff.

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: Is Deputy Tuffy opposed to bloodsports? Could the Deputy please just be straight in giving her answer?

Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: Hunting is about pitting animal against animal.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (23 Jun 2010)

John Gormley: The funding and grant-aiding of school capital works and running costs are matters for the Minister for Education and Skills. I understand that large-scale rainwater harvesting systems have already been installed in some schools. The Department of Education and Skills has indicated that it will continue to address water conservation issues in the context of the design and construction of new...