Results 12,461-12,480 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny
- Order of Business (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: As I said earlier, there have been capital works worth €250 million over the last four years. The humanitarian amount is €15 million, pending assessment, for immediate response to the humanitarian issues. We hope to have a full-scale analysis presented to Cabinet next Tuesday from the local authorities, the emergency planning group within the Department of the Environment,...
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: Deputy Martin asked a question about what would change.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: I will be followed in this Chamber by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to deal with the Freedom of Information Acts and the whistleblower legislation.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: The Deputy asked about what was going to change and stated that the Government had promised things would change.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: I am telling the Deputy about two elements of that. I would like to know what both Deputies Martin and McDonald mean by a democratic franchise in this regard.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: Are they talking about the global diaspora of 70 million people being entitled to vote in the Seanad elections or do they propose to limit this to those who have emigrated, who have left the country or who work for any of the institutions abroad for a short period? There must be some clarity regarding the extent of this proposition.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: I considered this matter with the former Tánaiste, Dick Spring, more than 20 years ago and it certainly is not as simple as the Deputy suggests to give a democratic franchise in a global sense. Are the citizens of Belfast, Derry, Coleraine and Newtownards entitled to vote under the Deputy's proposition for election to the Seanad here in this location?
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: Are they entitled to nominate candidates from the jurisdiction in which they live?
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: There is a raft of questions that Deputy Martin and Deputy McDonald certainly would need to answer in that regard.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: When I discussed this point about the diaspora previously-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: -----Deputy Martin suggested that the organisations representing the diaspora in America, Australia, Britain and so on would get together and nominate a person to attend the Seanad. However, when I first broached it with them, the list of those who wished to be appointed to represent the diaspora in the Seanad went from Leinster House to Newport-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: -----or from Brisbane to San Diego.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: Consequently, it is a question of dealing with the elitism that exists in that sense. Deputy Timmins made a valid point. As the Deputy is not a representative of an official political party, I am sure his views as an experienced Member would be welcome to be fed in through the system here by sending his observations-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: -----to the Clerk of the Seanad to be given to the Seanad Committee on Procedure and Privileges and to be fed into the system in that way, as it is there that the observations will be taken from the parties and from individuals. I suggest the Deputy could do this. In response to Deputy McDonald, I would not in any way show sarcasm about many colleagues in the Seanad, whom I have known for...
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: Yes, of course. My point to Deputy McDonald is that it has not been done but will be done now. The point is that this is one democratic piece of progress-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: -----that extends the remit to the many thousands of graduates over the years who were disenfranchised by the elitism of the current system that applied under the NUI.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: Deputy Higgins again mentioned the European Central Bank and the making of bogus promises. The promise that was made in regard to the Seanad was to hold a referendum.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: The people decided very clearly in that referendum. I accept that decision, and we have moved on from there to engage with the Seanad, to make it more meaningful, to implement the recommendations of the referendum.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: I am not sure what the relationship is between Jean-Claude Trichet and the Seanad referendum. If I recall correctly, the Deputy campaigned for the abolition of the Seanad.
- Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)
Enda Kenny: The question of trust also applies to Deputy Joseph Higgins. He cannot come in with that one. The people decided in the referendum to retain the Seanad. For a long time I have understood one never argues with the people in a referendum or an election. Their decision is final; one cannot alter it.