Results 12,381-12,400 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: If the Minister would. I thank her very much.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: Who is in the Chair?

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: Ah.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: The Leader's amendment should be welcomed rather than agreed. We should express our thanks to the Minister and the Leader for arranging the extension.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: I find it interesting to observe the ricochets of the passage of the civil partnership Act, particularly as they emerge in this legislation. The most reprehensible and disgraceful aspect of the civil partnership Act which I supported in principle was the total absence of concern for or a reference to children which left them exposed. Although it is possible for a same sex partner to adopt,...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: I appreciate the position in which the Minister finds herself. I speak as an independent Senator and I understand that she is being obliged to honour arrangements that were made before she came to office. That is a very complicating factor. I was spoke out and voted against all of those arrangements, including the bank guarantee. I saw this difficulty coming down the tracks and I knew...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: Yes, I know. However, the Minister framed some of her comments in a general context. I am sure the Senator would not wish to usurp the role of the Leas-Chathaoirleach in this matter. I will stand to be reproved by him but not — even though I have great respect for her — by the Senator.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: Most of my comments to date have related directly to the section. It is rather a pity — perhaps this is due to the fact that we are dealing with the usual cascade of work at the very end of the session — that the list of amendments is filled almost entirely with recurrences of the term "Section opposed". I suppose this indicates, to a degree, principled opposition to the entire Bill,...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: The penny has dropped with me.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: So opposing sections is the only instrument available to us.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: I see. That is a great pity. I have always been of the view that we were walked into a financial disaster by the Lower House. Yesterday, Senator Barrett, who is new to the House, produced a very remarkable Bill that has been accepted, in principle, by the relevant Minister. His is clear and concise legislation which addresses an extraordinarily complicated fiscal matter.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: Yes, but my remarks relate to the fact that we are merely opposing sections. I should have spotted that we are precluded from tabling amendments because of the financial constraints involved. It is a pity that the Seanad is restricted——

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: I know. I am merely expressing the view that it is regrettable that we are not in a position to table constructive amendments. That may be one reason the debate has tended to be somewhat wide-ranging in scope. Perhaps it is why the Minister referred to more general matters during her initial contribution.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: I try to acknowledge the Minister's achievements.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: In the interests of the economy of time, I would like to say that my comments in a previous contribution should apply to this section. I was looking at the amendments and I addressed what I thought was the first amendment. History will be reasonably kind to this Minister, because I think we all accept that she has fought a very sterling battle, but the circumstances are awful and it is...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: January will mark the beginning of an important year and a milestone in literary scholarship. The works of James Joyce will partially come out of copyright. They first came out of copyright in 1991 and they were retrospectively reinserted into copyright some years later as a result of harmonisation measures by the EU. I warned the Government and specifically the Minister responsible that...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2011)

David Norris: I thank the Leader.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2011)

David Norris: Hear, hear. Well said.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2011)

David Norris: Good.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2011)

David Norris: They did.