Results 15,001-15,020 of 18,734 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: ——and presenting naked advocacy of vested interests as a concern for public health does no credit to the people who moved tonight's motion. The record shows that when Gordon Holmes produced the commission's report there was not a squeak from Fine Gael. The party's participants in chat shows postured as advocates of modernisation and reform only to engage——

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: ——in the greatest regression away from Civil War politics, with Fine Gael joining the Fianna Fáil backbenchers who have difficulties with all of this tonight.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I was glad to go to a democratically elected group of people and discuss the matter with them. I am always happy to do that.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am equally glad to say to this House——

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: ——that I have and will listen to the expression of public opinion. I advanced the proposal for café bars because my Cabinet colleagues asked me to put it out there for consultation.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The aim was to test the waters.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy should not let the truth get in the way of his own prejudices.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: This is the truth. I put it out there and we have had a public debate. I will be the person and the Government will be the Government that has done something about this matter. The waffle, posturing and moralising opposite will be long dead——

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: ——when the Bill is law and the people salute a Government that had the moral courage to take on vested interests instead of moralising and blustering about it.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: That is in the Bill.

Child Care Services. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I thank the Deputy for affording me the opportunity to update the House on the important issue of child care. I reject the suggestion that I attempted to withdraw funding from any groups.

Child Care Services. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy said I attempted to withdraw it.

Child Care Services. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: She should check the record.

Child Care Services. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy just said it again.

Child Care Services. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: That is not so. The equal opportunities childcare programme is the Government's key response to the need to develop child care to support the child care needs of parents, with a particular emphasis on those who may be in employment or education or training to prepare for employment. The programme aims to increase the supply of centre based child care places by 55% at its conclusion. Since the...

Child Care Services. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: When the assessments on the outstanding projects in Kerry are completed, the applications will be considered by the programme appraisal committee, chaired by my Department, before I make a decision on each case. In addition, the Deputy may be aware that I have recently approved the continuation to the end of December 2007 of staffing grant assistance for all groups whose first three year...

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Will we ban Liverpool from displaying the Carlsberg logo on its jerseys?

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "—welcomes the Government's decision to codify Ireland's liquor licensing laws into one coherent modern statute; —welcomes the Government's decision to seek the views of the public and interested parties on the reform proposals set out in the Government's consultation paper; —commends and...

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Intoxicating Liquor Act 1988 created a special restaurant licence. It may be obtained from the Revenue Commissioners on foot of a Circuit Court certificate and on payment of a fee of €3,805. Despite reforms in the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2000, many unreasonable and discriminatory restrictions still apply to the special restaurant licence. The so-called declaratory procedure, whereby a...

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: It has been suggested recently that the vintners' organisations have themselves proposed the reform of restaurant licence rules as an alternative to the café bar licence. I welcome their support, but I am quite sure that support would not have been voiced were it not for the decision to hold a public consultation on the café bar licence.