Results 11,521-11,540 of 24,326 for speaker:Jerry Buttimer

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the 21 Members who spoke for their varied and interesting contributions. I thank Senator Ardagh for her remarks regarding the Minister for Health and waiting lists. The Minister and the Government are engaging with the NTPF and it is planned that prior to the end of the year, the NTPF and the HSE will have a dedicated waiting list initiative. We all accept that there is a key issue...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: It is brilliant that there is a majority of women leading the Seanad. That is a great start for democracy. Those who campaigned for equality will recognise that this is a diverse group of leaders.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: Including me, indeed. Regarding alcohol, we have restored the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill to the Order Paper. There is an opportunity to tease out the Bill's various effects. We all agree that the issue of alcohol needs to be addressed. I hope that we can arrive at legislation that tackles alcohol's misuse. Senator Devine referred to the role of the charities regulator in respect of the...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: I welcome the Minister to the House and thank her for being here. I thank and pay tribute to Senators Nash and Bacik for the Bill before us. We must recognise the importance of the Bill. It is about the value we place on those who work and protecting their rights as workers. Those of us who have worked in the public service recognise the importance of the collective nature of bargaining....

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: I know, that is why I said it. There is a balance that must be achieved. In his remarks Senator Reilly made reference to the rights of those who are self-employed. It is equally important that collective-bargaining and price setting is addressed and that we look at the self-employed also. I welcome the Minister's commitment and the spirit in which she has entered into the debate on the...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: This applies today to another Bill being debated in the other House. Let us not give people false hope. In this case, the Minister has committed to coming back and working with all of us, in particular Senators Bacik and Nash, on the Bill. It is a good start and it is important, as is the issue of how the world of work has changed. On the Order of Business today, Senator Paddy Burke made...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: The Order of Business is No. 1, Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 2016 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, to be taken at 4.45 p.m., with the contributions of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes and all other Senators not to exceed five minutes.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: On a point of order, I did not hear the amendment Senator Gerard P. Craughwell said he was proposing. Will he repeat it, please?

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the 26 Senators who spoke. We need to take a collective deep breath as Members of the Upper House. I know that we all still have the "L" plates. However, this is Parliament and we should all behave accordingly. If we need to look at how we do our business, let us do so, but the comments of Senator Rose Conway-Walsh came true today. I believe that on the Order of Business it...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: I am happy to accept the proposal made by Senator Murnane O'Connor in that regard. However, as we have done with other elements of Government policy, if there is a serious willingness to acknowledge that the role of councillors, their terms and conditions, work rate and remit have changed, let us not play political games. Let us collectively form an all-party cross-party group, to include...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: It applies particularly to Government Members. On the first or second day of this Seanad, Senator Paddy Burke had a motion on K class contributions.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: It is my intention to take the Bill on Seanad reform next week when there will be an opportunity to have this issue form part of that discussion. I know that the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, is working on the very serious issue of the terms and conditions and role of local authority members. He is putting a plan in place, with a package of measures. In fairness to him, he has had to...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: We have also seen the Garda overtime budget increase to €90 million. It is this Government that re-opened Templemore, that has provided more resources to the Garda and that recruited more gardaí. I hope we recognise that it is not the case the Government is not doing anything; to be fair, it is doing much, as is the Minister for Justice and Equality, with the Garda Commissioner....

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: It is a pity he has had to resign. I have known former Senator O'Toole for a long time and it is a pity-----

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: In the context of the Order of Business, I am just making the point that new politics means one thing one day and something slightly different another day.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: He is a very astute, good public servant who has done a lot of work for the State on many issues and in many roles. I understand he has resigned. Senators Conway-Walsh, Kelleher and O'Reilly raised the issue of family carers. I agree with them that the implementation of the national strategy on carers needs to be a priority in the Department of Social Protection. I hope we will have the...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: I am happy to reiterate to Senator Humphreys-----

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: -----that the example I referred to earlier relating to the manner in which councillors' pay and conditions is handled applies to the eighth amendment and to sensitive social issues. On two occasions in this Chamber we were able to produce a report and a Bill and to have the issue addressed. The Attorney General, as I understand it, said - and I am not in Cabinet-----

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: -----that the Bill, as presented to the Lower House, is unconstitutional. My view is that if one is a member of Cabinet and a Bill is deemed unconstitutional, one should not proceed to vote for that Bill, on two bases-----

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jerry Buttimer: First, one is putting a Bill forward that cannot be enacted and, second, one is giving false hope and playing politics with a very sensitive issue-----