Results 16,221-16,240 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Second Stage (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: I would not touch the post with a barge pole. I would be completely the wrong person. I do not have the administrative talents that are required. I would like to advise those who are considering placing a bet, at odds of eight to one, not to waste their few dollars. I agree with the point raised in the very fine speech by Senator Donohoe regarding the refusal to allow elected Members to...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: His position has been so diminished.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: Senator White is an ornament and a delight.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: There is no ideology.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: Try them on President Sarkozy.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: If the Senator was so helpful, why was he not equally helpful about my contribution on Iran?

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: Well said.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: I very much respect the Cathaoirleach's position, the way he conducts himself and the rulings he gives. However, I must reluctantly say that I cannot give an undertaking that I will never interrupt again because it is part of the tradition of this House. Had I not interrupted and heckled yesterday, the very serious matter we were discussing might have passed unnoticed. Nobody else stopped...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: I did so because it is very dangerous to undermine the institutions of this State. Perhaps if it is constitutionally possible, we can have a debate on the function of the Judiciary. I do not know if that would violate the constitutional requirement. It is worth pointing to the name of the person involved. Senator Callanan said that the allegation should be repeated because it was true....

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: It does not matter. It is a political statement that I can make.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: I will not withdraw it. It is a political charge. I am raising the question of the Judiciary and I believe it is very important that we have an opportunity to look at it because it is being consistently undermined. To be fair, I disagree strongly with the programme of Fine Gael as announced recently, which I am sure is well-intentioned. It suggested that mandatory sentences is the way we...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: There was a very nasty rape case recently and one sympathises very strongly with the victims. However, there is a lack of proportion in the attacks upon a Member of the other House who apparently wrote a letter about the family background which said that the parents were decent people. As far as I know, that may well be a fact. Yet people attacked the Member when they did not even have...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

David Norris: That was followed by the head of UNICEF who said her use of this information was inaccurate and inappropriate. I did not impugn her. I did not say there was anything ideological about what she said, although my colleague, Senator Mullen, impugned the reputation of those Swedish researchers without knowing anything about them. He said they were ideologically driven. There is no doubt that...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Apr 2008)

David Norris: Will the Leader contact the Minister for Foreign Affairs to wish him success with the forthcoming international diplomatic conference on cluster munitions, to be held in Croke Park? I hope a treaty can be produced on foot of that meeting. In light of the resolutions which were passed unanimously on an all-party basis by the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and this House, it is important...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Apr 2008)

David Norris: Fine.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Apr 2008)

David Norris: To be fair, a Chathaoirligh, I gave Senator O'Toole advance warning of that little one. He made some arcane whispers to me about the need for a treaty that could be turned over two pages at a time, like the Book of Kells.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Apr 2008)

David Norris: I have attempted to look at this treaty.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Apr 2008)

David Norris: The closer I look at it, the less I like it. We know that 96% of it is the failed European constitution. If we are so democratic, why are we the only one of the 27 member states to give voters an opportunity to vote on the treaty? If it is such a wonderful thing and everyone knows it is right, why are we afraid to let people vote? Why do we have a new blossoming of European megalocrats,...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Apr 2008)

David Norris: It is an extraordinary thing that the Christian religions should want not to be covered by that legislation.