Results 1,221-1,240 of 1,591 for speaker:Eugene Regan

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I wish to respond precisely to the Cathaoirleach's request for a withdrawal of my remarks.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: This is unreasonable. I made a statement to emphasise the issue of competence in politics and I do not want to be distracted from that by this matter.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: When a request is made to withdraw a statement it is essential that an explanation of the statement be made.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: In deference to the Cathaoirleach, I withdraw the statement as I believe it was technically incorrect.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I am disappointed the Leader did not respond positively to the requests made during the past three days by Senator Fitzgerald and others in regard to the time allowed to debate the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008. The position is that no extra time will be allowed for adequate discussion on amendments. This is the situation with which we are faced in this House. In commenting on the Bill, we...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I ask the Leader to comment on that specific statement. We have moved in the past year from discussions about corruption in politics to discussions on incompetence in politics. There is a serious economic cost to incompetence in Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I ask that this be considered as we conclude our year of discussions in this House. The proper subject matter of debate is competence in Government. One Taoiseach has been already forced out of office because of corruption. We have a situation now whereby another Taoiseach may be forced out of office because of incompetence.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I ask the Leader to respond.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I correct the record. The discussions we had were on corruption. The former Taoiseach was forced to resign from office.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: The discussions in this House were on corruption in politics.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: It is emanating from those discussions——

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I cannot withdraw the remark about corruption in Irish politics.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I oppose the Bill on Second Stage on the basis that the procedure and the Bill is flawed. Question put.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (9 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: On a point of order, the Minister should not interrupt the Senator's contribution.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (9 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I add my voice to the expressions of sympathy on the death of former Minister, Deputy Seamus Brennan. I recall his courage in dealing with difficulties within his party and the stance he took in terms of standards in public life. That is my abiding memory of the man. I thank the Minister of State for his presentation of this Bill. However, I disagree with the point made by him that we...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I support the Leader of the Opposition, Senator Fitzgerald, regarding the amendment to the Order of Business. Yesterday I questioned the time allowed to consider the Intoxicating Liquor Bill. The Bill was discussed in the Dáil yesterday and there were 56 amendments, categorised in a number of groups. The first three amendments, which were fairly technical, were discussed together, as was...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: The main objective of the legislation is to address the public order issue. Since the legislation is rushed, it will fail. It will provide for common, rather than sequential, closing of late-night drinking premises. The very objective of the Bill is being undermined by its own provisions. That there is inadequate time for consideration of this and other issues discredits the work we are...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: The Government is pulling a stunt in rushing through the House this week the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008. The Dáil is dealing with Committee and Report Stages of the Bill today. The Seanad will tomorrow take Second Stage of the Bill and will take Committee and Report Stages on Thursday. Adequate time should be provided for public consultation in regard to the tabling of appropriate...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: The Taoiseach and Minister for Finance, in building up as a major event today's presentation of the Department of Finance Exchequer figures, are playing for time on the economy. It is not a unique event. The Department of Finance produces Exchequer figures every month and they have shown, since the beginning of the year, a deterioration in tax receipts. Talk of corrective action and mini...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I have a question for the Leader. On foot of that property bubble, taxes on construction and housing related economic activities rose from 6% in 2001 to 20% in 2006. That was unsustainable. The Taoiseach, as Minister for Finance in 2006, said property prices were anchored on sound fundamentals in the Irish economy. If we do not analyse and diagnose, and if the Taoiseach and Minister for...