Results 16,101-16,120 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

David Norris: I would welcome a debate on the Lisbon treaty. That would be excellent.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

David Norris: I join Senator Ormonde in asking again for a debate on the Lisbon treaty, although not quite in the light she wants it. I would like a more balanced debate and I look forward to an opportunity to provide some of that balance. We have not had a balanced debate on the matter in the House. I will say more about that later. I am very grateful to my colleagues, including Senators Fitzgerald,...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

David Norris: The majority of my colleagues on that side spoke very well on that.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

David Norris: The other person suggested was Deputy Coughlan, a very intelligent person. Let it be remembered that within the course of the last Government, she had the unenviable distinction of being the only Minister in Europe to have introduced legislation discriminating against the social rights of gay citizens in this country. That is why people like myself are worried.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

David Norris: I acknowledge that we will be discussing Thornton Hall on Thursday, which I welcome. It would be foolish not to acknowledge the document, Patients, Not Prisoners, produced by the Central Mental Hospital carers' group, the Irish Mental Health Coalition and Schizophrenia Ireland. I ask other Members to acquire it. It discusses co-location of the mental hospital, which is very worrying to...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

David Norris: It has also refused to allow non-governmental organisations to travel beyond Rangoon.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

David Norris: I asked the Leader clearly and specifically to call the Minister for Defence or the Minister for Foreign Affairs to the House to respond on European defence.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

David Norris: Thank you. I would be grateful if the Leader could get an answer on the matter for me or get the Minister to the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

David Norris: And the FFers.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

David Norris: I congratulate our colleague, Senator Bacik, on raising the question of whether it is suitable to imprison women for minor offences. I regret male Members of the Houses are not invited to the meeting on this later because it is important that men, who are coequals as legislators, should be involved in these discussions. The overwhelming majority of the prison population is male and an...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

David Norris: Follow that.

Seanad: Transport 21: Motion (21 May 2008)

David Norris: I thank Senator Hannigan for sharing his time with me. It is very important, even though times may be difficult, that the Government keeps its nerve and invests in the long-term infrastructure of this country. We have had situations in the past, particularly with the metro, where it was clear that the project was the only logical, sensible solution that would effectively address the traffic...

Seanad: Transport 21: Motion (21 May 2008)

David Norris: In that case, I will just mention, en passant, the M3, which is a frightful business. The Minister of State might, if he has a spare moment, read what I said on the Order of Business today about the involvement of Kellogg, Brown & Root in it. We are paying some pretty questionable American companies to desecrate part of the historic landscape around the Hill of Tara.

Seanad: Transport 21: Motion (21 May 2008)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Transport 21: Motion (21 May 2008)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: HSE Child Welfare and Protection Services: Statements (21 May 2008)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: HSE Child Welfare and Protection Services: Statements (21 May 2008)

David Norris: I thank my colleague, Senator Bacik, for sharing some of her time with me. I also welcome the Minister of State to the House and wish him well in his career. I think he is a very appropriate choice because I happen to know him slightly but I have also been very impressed by the highly capable, intelligent and humane way he has dealt with matters such as this and other politically related...

Seanad: WTO Negotiations: Statements (Resumed) (21 May 2008)

David Norris: I am grateful to my colleague, Senator Joe O'Toole, for sharing his time with me. I heard speakers describe Commissioner Mandelson as acting in a very British manner. This was an unnecessary comment. We should analyse what he is doing. I do not know whether it is British. I am not sure what "British" means in this sense. He has certainly behaved with a lack of caution and taken a fairly...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 May 2008)

David Norris: I strongly support Senator Coffey on his call for debate on the fate of Waterford Glass, which is one of our most historic industries and represents Ireland all over the world. Just yesterday, visitors to the House admired the beautiful Waterford Glass chandeliers that grace this Chamber. I have, however, some concern with regard to Government intervention. We must look back, for example,...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 May 2008)

David Norris: ——the man described by Hillary Clinton as Darth Vader, Dick Cheney. Therefore, the National Roads Authority is employing Darth Vader to poison the landscape of Meath to celebrate biodiversity week. What a wonderful island we live on.