Results 15,061-15,080 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: The Minister of State never had a difficulty with free-ranging contributions.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Or blame for their disgusting behaviour.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: I believe it was Israel.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: I wish we would.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: May I with unparalleled generosity award the last minute to my friend and colleague, Senator Bacik? The Minister of State is most welcome and I thank him for his courtesy in giving me the notes of his speech. I wish to say something about the context of this debate. It is very short and rushed. I am grateful to the Minister of State for being present. He is a person of substance and...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: I sympathise with the Cathaoirleach's situation with regard to the Order of Business. I made a suggestion yesterday that received widespread support from both sides of the House, namely, that we should have a special rolling debate on the economy. The Leader replied this was something to be taken up with the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I asked my representative on that committee...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: It looks now as if the advice given was either wrong or corrupt. I wish to know something about the lawyers in question and their status, about the advice they gave, why they gave it and whether it was good, bad, indifferent, or, indeed, corrupt. We need a real debate on the economy. Today we hear that Bord Gáis is moving into the provision of electricity. Everybody is delighted because...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: The gas board goes in instead. We are attacking the fundamentals on which the wellbeing of this State originated, with people such as Lemass and Whitaker and the establishment of the semi-State bodies, Bord na Móna, Bord Gáis, the ESB and so on. We were always told about competition. Senator Leyden is quite right. We privatised Aer Lingus. What happened? Now we do not service our own...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: He did not invest one penny in it and flogged it off to an Australian pension fund. Let us look at competition. I voted against the groceries order. We were told prices would go down but they went up. All was a matter of competition. Let us not bow down before this shibboleth. I say to the Leader, with the greatest respect, that he is not Tommy Dando. There is no sunny side of this...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: We are to have statements on the Middle East. That is not what I requested. I asked for the passage of a motion that was passed unanimously a week ago by all members of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. It proposed a war crimes investigation into the situation in Gaza. I will not press this vote if the Leader will be kind enough to give me an assurance that this will not replace that...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: No, I beg the Cathaoirleach's pardon and thank him for his assistance. I suggested that we take instead the motion in my name about the war crimes tribunal in Gaza.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Yes, it is No. 32 which is the exact one passed by the committee.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Well said.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Madness.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: We can expand the time. Get the Leader's agreement. Why is he blocking?