Results 1,261-1,280 of 1,591 for speaker:Eugene Regan

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: ——growth and inflation. That has all been undone. The reality is that this is the price for incompetent Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: As Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Cowen was warned about the effects of his expenditure plans on——-

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: I believe it is important because the message has not got across that we must debate this issue and not revert to the standard denials as Senator MacSharry attempted to do. The reality is that we left an economy in top shape to the Fianna Fáil Government——

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: ——in 1997 and it has been blown. The proof is with the ESRI.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: In conclusion, it is the primary responsibility of the Government to manage the public finances. It cannot do everything but it has a responsibility to manage that area. When we see a budget surplus of €6 billion in 2006 and a deficit of €3 billion this year, that is not good management. That is where——

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: ——the Taoiseach, Deputy Cowen, and this Government have failed. The important question is whether the Government will start by reversing its own ministerial salary increases. That would be a first and most obvious step for the Government to take.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: They were misled.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (19 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: The Minister of State has made the case for the resolution to extend the provisions of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act. The Government has at times downplayed the threat of terrorist activities. The most notable example was the case of Paul Quinn, when the former Taoiseach stated, as did Sinn Féin, that this was a criminal matter and that the unfortunate Mr. Quinn was...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (19 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: On a point of order.

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (19 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: That is not what I said. What was said was that——

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (19 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: What I said was that we are discussing this Bill and that the Senator had indicated that this was not of such importance that it merited priority.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: We have had some lively debates on the Lisbon treaty but these have taken place generally on the Order of Business. They have been quite limited, and Senator Norris and others have felt rather frustrated that they did not have time to discuss particular aspects of the treaty. Since we are effectively in renegotiation with our partners in Europe on the Lisbon treaty, all the issues raised in...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: The lack of competition among supermarkets in this country is also highlighted by the fact that the prices of 22 grocery items at Tesco and Dunnes Stores were found to be identical. Section 4 of the Competition Act 2002 specifically declares agreements or concerted practices between undertakings to be illegal. The response of Government, which was to suggest that people should shop around...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: That amounts to buying time.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: The limited scope for renegotiation is illustrated today with the British Parliament proceeding with ratification of the Lisbon treaty. We are in a very difficult situation. While we in Ireland may say the treaty is dead, the reality is that the rest of Europe does not believe so. However, I will continue my comments in this afternoon's debate.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: I am very pleased with the outcome of the referendum on the Lisbon treaty. Some 63.5% of the voters in my constituency of Dún Laoghaire voted in favour, which was the highest "Yes" vote in the country.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: It did the same on the first referendum on the Nice treaty and has now done so on the first referendum on the Lisbon treaty.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: It seems that what Dún Laoghaire decides in referenda, the country eventually follows. I would be optimistic about the final solution to this situation. The ultimate solution.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: The Government blew it. The campaign was too little, too late, which is why we got the result we did. If the Taoiseach was in control of his party and given that Fianna Fáil has an opinion poll rating of 42%, where were those people on 12 June?