Results 1,241-1,260 of 1,451 for speaker:Michael Finucane

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: There is one exception.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: Senator Leyden broke from the slips too quickly.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: The national disease surveillance board has published its report, some details of which are rather frightening. Some 73% of the heterosexual population infected with HIV come from sub-Saharan Africa. In that context, should we not be screening immigrants from those locations? It is important to do this in order to determine if medication is subsequently required. It is a frightening...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: Senator Leyden went too quickly from the slips.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: Senator Leyden will have to sponsor him.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: On a point of order, there is a precedent for this because I recall moving a Bill in the Lower House that was accepted, in principle, by the Government. The Government then fine-tuned the Bill and implemented it as its own legislation—

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: The Leader said that the Government's attitude could change during the day and I believe that this should happen.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: I have to pinch myself at times when I hear statements about affordable housing and land. Where has the Government been for the past six years? Speaking at the Irish Management Institute annual conference in Killarney, the Taoiseach suddenly decided to launch a new agenda and a new direction. There has probably been a conversion at this stage. I wish to make one brief point. We all welcome...

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: —I wish to remind him to provide these physical resources because they have been referred to on many occasions, not only in this House but also in the Lower House. I wish that family a speedy recovery, but I fear they will bear the scars for many years. It is a deplorable and heinous crime.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: They are Ministers for the good times, not the bad. They cannot hack it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: As Acting Chairman yesterday I was fortunate to listen to the debate on Iraq. The refreshing contributions of Senators reflected the diversity of thinking on this issue.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: I was reminded of Shakespeare's words, "Me thinks he doth protest too much." On a different note, the Leader may recall that on a previous occasion I mentioned the special savings investment scheme. I recognise that many people who participated in that scheme took a gamble because it was linked to shares or unit trusts. I am concerned about those people because the financial situation has...

Seanad: Crime Levels: Statements. (3 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: Coming from the mid-west, I welcome the recent decision of the Supreme Court to turn down the request from the killers of Jerry McCabe to be freed. I also appreciate the efforts of the Garda in attempting to tidy up a difficult situation in Limerick recently. I am thankful for the resources provided to try to achieve that laudable objective. Several incidents in the Limerick area have not...

Seanad: Crime Levels: Statements. (3 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: A clear commitment was made to providing an extra 2,000 gardaí but what is happening? The retirement age for gardaí is 57 years but many retire at 50, 51 or 52 after 30 years' service. There is a consequential brain drain from the Garda of experienced officers. Many are leaving out of sheer frustration with the work.

Seanad: Crime Levels: Statements. (3 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: He has another few years in which to record such achievements. I look forward to seeing how he goes about it. I applaud the former Minister for Justice, Nora Owen, who set up the Criminal Assets Bureau, a body the Minister praised as an international model in this area.

Seanad: Crime Levels: Statements. (3 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: During Nora Owen's period in office if a person went missing while on parole, Deputies O'Donoghue and O'Donnell automatically rushed to condemn her on radio. Had that process of vilification continued, the Minister would find himself being criticised in the media nearly every day.

Seanad: Crime Levels: Statements. (3 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: The Minister will have several more years to achieve something, provided the cracks emerging between various Ministers do not get bigger. I look forward to seeing his true colours.

Seanad: Crime Levels: Statements. (3 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: Given the massive increase in crime across the various categories of offences, he cannot claim to have achieved much.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: The Taoiseach is away with the seven dwarfs.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Apr 2003)

Michael Finucane: I support the suggestion of Senator Maurice Hayes that some mechanism should be found to arrange whatever legal funding is required for Senator Higgins and Deputy Howlin now that the Minister for Finance, supported by the Cabinet, has decided not to fund such costs. Any of us could face such a situation in the future. This decision is shocking, particularly when one bears in mind that they...