Results 1,141-1,160 of 1,253 for speaker:John Crown

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

John Crown: Reducing the number of items it is permissible to raise from three to one has prevented me from raising two other issues I would have raised today but which I cannot do so now. I refer to the VHI increase and the use of agency staff at a higher rate of pay within the HSE in jobs that should be done by full-time staff. The other effect of this announcement will be an increase in the number...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

John Crown: I ask the Leader to consider, through the appropriate committees, readdressing the issue of the orders in this regard. This has limited the role of the Seanad as a forum for advocacy and means that fewer critical issues can be raised. I receive requests every day to raise issues in the Seanad. The reason this has happened is that there is inter-party procedural wrangling and a tit-for-tat...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Nov 2011)

John Crown: It is reported in today's newspapers that the constitutional convention will take place in the spring and the Taoiseach has specifically remarked, in comments attributed to him in today's edition of The Irish Times , that the future of the Seanad will not form part of the discussions at the convention, that the issue will be determined in a separate referendum which it appears will take place-----

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Nov 2011)

John Crown: If anyone is going to interrupt me, perhaps we might have an angry exchange with someone on the opposite side of the House, as it might increase the chances of getting-----

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Nov 2011)

John Crown: I have asked previously and I am asking again - this is not an invitation or a summons but something in between - that the Taoiseach, as head of the national Parliament, come and speak to one of the Houses of the Oireachtas about his plans on the future of the Constitution and this House. I cannot understand how such a debate has not yet taken place. In many ways, apart from the ongoing...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Nov 2011)

John Crown: Some rather disturbing figures were presented over the weekend which showed that in terms of international survival rates for cancer in the OECD - the group of economically developed nations - this country is faring badly and is anchored close to the bottom of the list. It is at the bottom of the list for some types of cancer. It is being suggested that this may be due to a relatively slow...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Nov 2011)

John Crown: -----30 years of continuous service.

Seanad: Address by Dr. Mary Robinson (24 Nov 2011)

John Crown: I echo the remarks about Dr. Robinson's achievements and, as somebody who was a member of the diaspora when she was President, I experienced a surge of pride in the Irish community when somebody who had been as outward looking, internationalist and mould breaking in the context of Irish politics had been elected to the position. I am fascinated and impressed by her commitment to spreading...

Seanad: Health Awareness and Physical Fitness: Motion (23 Nov 2011)

John Crown: I echo the ringing congratulations that Senator Eamonn Coghlan has justifiably garnered today not only for his research and report and for his initiative to bring this important motion before the House, but also for the wonderful photograph in this morning's newspapers of a historical moment, the running of a 4 x 1 mile relay race in aid of the great charity, GOAL. I do not say as much...

Seanad: Nurses and Midwives Bill (2011): Report and Final Stages (23 Nov 2011)

John Crown: I am already.

Seanad: Nurses and Midwives Bill 2010: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2011)

John Crown: On a point of clarification, I am not opposed to retirement and I anticipate my own retirement enthusiastically when the appropriate time comes. However, I am opposed to mandatory age-based retirement which, in my view, makes no sense, either medically, economically or socially. The current arbitrary retirement age of 65 was decided upon in a jurisdiction - Germany in 1870 - where at the...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Nov 2011)

John Crown: I would like to bring to the attention of the Members a very sad article written under the pseudonym of Annie Shipsey in the Village magazine about the problem with regard to special needs assistants. The article was entitled Thank you Mr. Timothy Geithner and I recommend that everybody in the Oireachtas read it. As a result of this article, I have been asked to put a few specific questions...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2011)

John Crown: I share the concern of some of my colleagues regarding the unfair treatment of Fr. Kevin Reynolds by RTE. Has it come out in the public domain yet as to which side's lawyers enforced the gagging order that is preventing us from finding out about the settlement? It would be useful to know this. Having seen it in the health service, as a statement of general principle, public bodies should...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2011)

John Crown: If there were any difference between the two major parties that got involved in this hissing fit, it would perhaps be of some relevance.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2011)

John Crown: Of course, there is no difference, as we know. When one disrupts the proceedings of this House, one is wasting taxpayers' money. As a result of the disruptions last week, we need extra time for today's session to make up for the time which could have been used more profitably last week. May I remind Members what the Seanad should be? It should be deliberative, non-partisan and bring a...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2011)

John Crown: It is thoroughly unedifying. If one could have tried to design a better advertisement for the campaign to abolish the Seanad, one could have done rather little worse than just filming one hour of what went on here last week. Will Members please acknowledge that the core of a democracy is the structure of its parliament and the way it is elected? We must insist on a debate with the Taoiseach...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2011)

John Crown: At it again.

Seanad: Alcohol Pricing: Motion (16 Nov 2011)

John Crown: I second the amendments.

Seanad: Alcohol Pricing: Motion (16 Nov 2011)

John Crown: An interesting exercise occurred last week. We were in a session of the Joint Committee on Health and Children with representatives of the alcohol industry and also representatives of Alcohol Action Ireland who were concerned about the toll alcohol takes of our society. An illustrative point was to ask what would their attitude be to the notion that Ireland would be a better country if...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2011)

John Crown: It is regrettable that at this stage, six months into the term of this Seanad, we have not yet had a debate - I ask the Leader to schedule one - with the Taoiseach on what is probably the most fundamental issue facing the Seanad, which is its own future, the existential crisis of a body which, according to stated pre-election Government policy, is to be abolished. I was reminded of this...