Results 11,621-11,640 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
David Norris: I support the calls that have been made in the past few days for a detailed debate on the question of the so-called constitutional convention. It is in danger of becoming a complete farce. There is a ragbag of issues involved - lowering the voting age to 17 and restricting the Presidential term to five years, a proposal I made 15 to 20 years ago but nothing of-----
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
David Norris: Excuse me.
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
David Norris: Thank you. There is nothing whatever about some of the really serious issues. Even with regard to the Presidency, there was a report in 1998, signed up to by all the parties, which stated that the nomination process was completely undemocratic and unfair. The report made recommendations which were adopted by all parties. This matter was raised in the other House and was defeated by the...
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
David Norris: I get the feeling that there is a whiff coming off this House similar to that emanated from the Irish House of Lords when it was about to be extinguished and the then authority created a series of new peers like mushrooms all over the place so that it could abolish it. I can smell similar tactics operating around this joint. I am very glad that my ancestors voted against the abolition,...
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
David Norris: -----and for Catholic emancipation. I hope this kind of spirit will continue in this Upper House. I would be very concerned about this. I would like a full debate on it. The Seanad must be considered in it, otherwise it is not worth a damn. I welcome very much what Senator Bacik said about the international day on homophobia. It is in danger of being overlooked. Regrettably in the...
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
David Norris: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
David Norris: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
David Norris: Hear, hear, but it would be even better if the Government agreed to implement some of them.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: The Cathaoirleach allowed plenty of latitude for him to be questioned, now let him reply.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: I am not responsible.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: The Senator and his lot left plenty, and so did those on that side of the House.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: Would the Cathaoirleach advise my learned friend that we have no role whatever in discussing these kinds of judicial decisions?
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: I have frequently spoken in this House against the horrible trade of human trafficking for whatever purpose. I would have to say, however, that if in 100 busts North and South of the Border, which involved multiple arrests, the fact that only three people appear to have been trafficked suggests that the link is not quite as strong as has just been suggested. I usually agree with the Leader...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: I can understand their difficulties.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: When we have this debate, which I believe we should have, I hope they will realise the seriousness of the situation.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: Yes. I am supporting the call for such a debate because we are facing a really serious situation. I do not think we realise exactly how serious it is. Where are all the promises we heard before the referendum now? What response did the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, get from the spokesman for Wolfgang Schäuble, who is the paymaster? He was given the brush-off, which he did not...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: I am seeking a debate on homophobia and am giving the reasons. The pastor said no food should be dropped in to them because they would then die out. Another pastor said that if a boy was showing what he called "a limp wrist", he should be given a good punch.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: We have also had the cowardly and disgusting attitude at the Anglican synod recently. I am urging that we should take this issue seriously. On most occasions when I raise these issues in the House, nobody speaks against them but I do not get a lot of support. I would welcome it if we showed a bit of solidarity in this area instead of always taking the soft, easy options which everybody is...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jun 2012)
David Norris: Was it a Protestant or a Catholic-----