Results 1,621-1,640 of 4,085 for speaker:Dan Boyle

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Dec 2007)

Dan Boyle: I support the call by Senator O'Toole for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to articulate to the House the Government position on the continuing illegal captivity of Íngrid Betancourt, the leader of the Colombian Green Oxygen Party and a former member of the Colombian national assembly. Her situation has some relevance to Ireland because the arguments she was making in Colombia related not...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (4 Dec 2007)

Dan Boyle: I wish to join the expressions of sympathy on the death of the former Member, Seán Keegan. Similar to other Members, his involvement in public life well preceded mine and it also preceded the foundation of my party. Politics in this country continues to evolve thanks to the contributions of people like Mr. Keegan. The eloquence with which the Leader opened these expressions of sympathy...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (4 Dec 2007)

Dan Boyle: Is the Senator "hear hearing" himself? I apologise, a Chathaoirligh.

Seanad: Health Services (29 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I thank also the Minister of State for being present to take this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Government. The issue concerns health policy on the pre-treatment of children and aftercare, with particular reference to childhood diabetes. The first issue relating to pre-treatment concerns a vaccination programme and what seems to be an uneven spread of...

Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (29 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: I move: "That Standing Order 94A of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business is hereby amended by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (6): '(6) The Standing Committee shall consist of nine members of Seanad Éireann and shall include the Party/Group Leaders or Whips, where feasible. In the absence of a Senator nominated to serve on the Committee the provisions of...

Seanad: Report on Seanad Reform: Motion (28 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: I thank Senators for their contributions and particularly for the tone and tenor of the debate which demonstrates that membership of the House is consistent with the belief we exist to serve. How we do so depends on the quality of this House and its structures. I cannot accept the amendment put forward by the Fine Gael and Labour Party Senators as it is too descriptive. I ask those who...

Seanad: Report on Seanad Reform: Motion (28 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: I withdraw that. The basis of what I said is that the existence of a place on the list is determined by a small number of people, which is an even greater diminution of the electoral process. We should examine this. It is important, in order to get greater public acceptance of the important work we do as Senators, that we get a degree of public involvement in the selection of Members of...

Seanad: Report on Seanad Reform: Motion (28 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: I move: That Seanad Éireann welcomes the commitment in the programme for Government, that this Government is to determine the extent of cross party agreement on the recommendations of the Report on Seanad Reform to advance proposals for implementation, which previously had all party agreement, and work collectively to ensure that as many of these agreed changes can be achieved during the...

Seanad: Report on Seanad Reform: Motion (28 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: The Minister is of a mind that other universities and other degree graduates can be brought into this process in a newly enlarged university constituency. My final point, before my colleague addresses the changing functions of the Seanad, concerns the Taoiseach's nominees, although I realise my difficulty in making this argument. The report referred to increasing the number of Taoiseach's...

Seanad: Report on Seanad Reform: Motion (28 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: I would prefer not to.

Seanad: Report on Seanad Reform: Motion (28 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: What about the word "acknowledge"?

Seanad: Report on Seanad Reform: Motion (28 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: It could be noted.

Seanad: Report on Seanad Reform: Motion (28 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: What about acknowledging it?

Seanad: Realising Equality and the Traveller Community: Statements (28 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: I wish to share my time with Senator Walsh.

Seanad: Realising Equality and the Traveller Community: Statements (28 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: I was first elected to a local authority in 1991, the first year of former President Mary Robinson's term of office. The platform on which President Robinson was elected included a promise to instigate sponsorship of an architect's scheme for accommodation for the travelling community. This marked one of the first occasions I was exposed, as an elected representative, to the issue of...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: Senator Hannigan may be surprised to know that I support his call for such a debate. The programme for Government includes the need for a review and updating of planning legislation. The process would cover several of the areas he mentioned.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: In light of today's decision, another commitment in the programme for Government should be instigated instantly, namely, a review of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and the legislation that will follow that review. Senators have recently discussed an ongoing process of derogating political responsibility to stand-alone bodies that has diminished political decision making and...

Seanad: Postal Services: Motion (21 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: I am mildly surprised at the tabling of this Private Members' motion, not that anything in politics should surprise me. The tabling of the motion is badly timed, considering the potential to improve An Post's services and the post office network.

Seanad: Postal Services: Motion (21 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: This comes a week after the European Court's decision that social welfare allowances should be paid through the post office network. That decision was hard fought for and many thought it could not be won, especially with the impending onset of the EU directive on postal services. That it was won shows the potential for how the one-stop-shop concept, particularly for rural post offices, can...

Seanad: Postal Services: Motion (21 Nov 2007)

Dan Boyle: The wording of the motion should have provided an opportunity to have a more open and consensual debate on the future of the postal services.