Results 12,461-12,480 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

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

David Norris: Hear, hear.

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

David Norris: I take great pleasure in welcoming Dr. Robinson back to the House. We were fellow scholars many years ago in Trinity College and I have followed her career with the greatest of admiration, as it evolved from membership of Dublin City Council to the Seanad to Aras an Uachtaráin and the Office of the UN High Commission for Human Rights. She then worked on a group that initially was supposed...

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

David Norris: I agree.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Nov 2011)

David Norris: As one can imagine, I agree very much with what Senator Mullins said. I hope his comments will be borne in mind when the Committee on Procedure and Privileges examines three complaints I will be laying before it before the weekend. Let me consider the question of the appointment of Mr. Cardiff to the European Court of Auditors. Everybody has named him. I do not suppose we should but we...

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

David Norris: I compliment Senator Eamonn Coghlan on a remarkable initiative. I believe this is the first time this subject has been properly discussed in the Seanad and the Senator also achieved another unique first in getting all Senators present to stand on one leg with their eyes closed. Perhaps this is appropriate because it appears to be the stance adopted by the current Government. I apologise for...

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

David Norris: I was watching it on the monitor. That is not a point of order, as I am sure the Acting Chairman will point out. That is a point of information, which is not allowed under the rules of the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Nov 2011)

David Norris: I support Senator Power's amendment to the Order of Business in respect of the residents of Priory Hall. Unfortunately, I will not be in a position to vote on the matter because I will be delivering to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government a message relating to the dog breeding-----

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Nov 2011)

David Norris: Yes. I would be very happy to second it, if that is agreeable. Mr. Kevin Cardiff is appearing before a committee of the European Parliament today. I do not wish to impugn the reputation of Mr. Cardiff and all I know about him is already a matter of general knowledge. However, questions have been raised at the Committee of Public Accounts in respect of certain matters, particularly the...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2011)

David Norris: Members of the House will perhaps know - certainly if they consult the record - that over many years I have intervened to protect the right to privacy of citizens of this country against inappropriate media intrusion, such as the publication of the names and occupations of accused persons in a country in which people are held to be innocent until found guilty. For example, after a robbery in...

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (10 Nov 2011)

David Norris: I do not wish to be impolite in interrupting the Minister but are copies of her speech available?

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (10 Nov 2011)

David Norris: I thank the Minister for that. I was just questioning the rota for speakers which seems to be curious.

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (10 Nov 2011)

David Norris: When I raised this point, the Minister noticed I was speaking to the Chair and misunderstood what I was doing. The order appears to be extraordinary. By the time I speak, five speakers from the Government side will have spoken and only one from this side. If Senator Healy Eames speaks before me, six or seven Government speakers will have contributed before anyone from this side speaks,...

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (10 Nov 2011)

David Norris: We are bound by the rules. However, I thank Senator Zappone for her gracious offer.

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (10 Nov 2011)

David Norris: I hope the matter of the speaking rotation will be examined as it is important to have a degree of balance between the Government side and this side of the House. I commend my colleagues on introducing this timely and valuable Bill. I have great respect for my humanist friends and colleagues, including the Humanist Association of Ireland. Speaking as a committed and believing Christian, I...

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (10 Nov 2011)

David Norris: I am speaking from a lifetime's experience. Then there is the ability to deal with people, which has a HR aspect, including judgment, appearance, articulation, organisational skills and ability to give time. These criteria may be fine for the humanist and I am sure they work within these small groups, but for an objective assessment, we need to examine these criteria and enshrine them in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2011)

David Norris: We have heard a good deal about fairly local aspects of the financial situation but I contend there is a more serious situation, that is, the general one. So far, it appears no one has mentioned the fact that Italian bonds are at more than 7% and we face the prospect of a total meltdown in Europe. There is complete confusion and a total lack of leadership. Frau Merkel and Mr. Sarkozy...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2011)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2011)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2011)

David Norris: An old Fianna Fáil tradition.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2011)

David Norris: I would like to support the comments made by the Fianna Fáil group leader in this House, Senator Darragh O'Brien, about the refusal of some financial institutions to pass the reduction in the ECB rate on to their customers. It is outrageous behaviour on the part of the banks, particularly National Irish Bank, the public perception of which is that it has a very unsavoury record. If Senator...