Results 1,681-1,700 of 1,852 for speaker:Eamon Scanlon

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: No other profession in the country has to do that.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: We should support decentralisation because the more houses are freed up in the city, the more houses will be available for those who need them. A person can still buy a three-bedroomed house in the west of Ireland that is ready to walk into for €165,000.

Seanad: Agrifood Sector: Motion. (29 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: This country was being taken to the European Court and convicted. If action had not been taken somebody would have been obliged to pay serious fines. Who would have paid them? Ultimately, the farmers would have had to, so that action had to be taken as there was no other option. The Minister has applied for a derogation on the nitrates directive to increase the limit from 170 kg of nitrogen...

Seanad: Agrifood Sector: Motion. (29 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: I welcome the Minister and her officials to the House. I also welcome the comprehensive action plan for the future of the agrifood business, which was announced recently. The action plan is a response to the report of the Agri-Vision 2015 committee, which was chaired by Mr. Alan Dukes. I do not know whether Senator Coonan was in favour of Mr. Dukes going on that committee, or against it.

Seanad: Agrifood Sector: Motion. (29 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: I am still not sure but as a former Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Dukes has vast experience in that sector and has much to offer. The committee comprised some of the most senior figures in the sector, including leaders from farming organisations and the agricultural industry. It also took into account a wide variety of other reports and sources, including the enterprise strategy group. This...

Seanad: Agrifood Sector: Motion. (29 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: I am saying that if Fianna Fáil had been in Government at that time it would have done the same thing. There was no choice in the matter.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: I support Senator Feighan in his call for the unanimous support of this House for the undocumented Irish in the United States of America, who number approximately 50,000. They are marching in Washington today and given that at this time of year we will have Ministers attending St. Patrick's Day parades all over the United States, it is opportune to ask those Ministers to try to improve the...

Seanad: Nitrates Directive: Motion. (1 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: It has been discussed already today. We are sick of hearing about the length of time this directive has been around, since 1991. In 1996, Ivan Yates, Deputy Howlin and the IFA attempted to deal with what was an extremely contentious issue in the directive. At that time they suggested 170 kg per hectare. The Minister had no alternative to signing the directive. We must get that derogation up...

Seanad: Nitrates Directive: Motion. (1 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: I thank the Chairman. I am delighted to have an opportunity to speak on this issue. I will not state that Senator Bannon's motion is dishonest. However, I do not believe that in this motion he is being honest with Irish farmers.

Seanad: Nitrates Directive: Motion. (1 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: Excuse me, I did not interrupt Senator Bannon. I mean sincerely that we should be working——

Seanad: Nitrates Directive: Motion. (1 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: I fully understand that. I am as well aware of the fact as Senator Bannon. I know the farmers in my area the same way that Senator Bannon knows the farmers in his area.

Seanad: Nitrates Directive: Motion. (1 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: I apologise.

Seanad: Nitrates Directive: Motion. (1 Mar 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: Honesty has been referred to and it is important that we, as politicians, are honest.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (2 Feb 2006)

Eamon Scanlon: I concur with the sentiments expressed by Senator Paddy Burke. There is a similar problem on the Dublin-Sligo line. It is a fantastic line, due to the good work of the Leader when she was Minister for Transport and the money that was invested in the line at the time. The service on the Sligo line has increased from three to five a day, which is important for the west of Ireland. While some of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Dec 2005)

Eamon Scanlon: I agree with the previous speaker in regard to the single payment. The Minister gave a commitment that the cheques would go out on 1 December. Some 80% of farmers have received their cheques since that date and I understand a run of payments will be processed today. In Sligo, some 92% of farmers have received their cheques to date. I spent 35 minutes yesterday trying to get through to the...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (13 Dec 2005)

Eamon Scanlon: I welcome the Minister to the House. With this Bill the Minister hopes to lower the cost of groceries. I hope he is successful but I am concerned for the small traders trying to compete. I come from a small town in the west and over the last ten years, notwithstanding the groceries order, I have seen eight small corner shops close. Three shops have invested very heavily just to stay in...

Seanad: WTO Negotiations: Statements. (7 Dec 2005)

Eamon Scanlon: I am glad to have an opportunity to make a few points in respect of the WTO talks. I welcome the Minister to the House. While I do not often agree with Senator Coonan——

Seanad: WTO Negotiations: Statements. (7 Dec 2005)

Eamon Scanlon: I do not agree with him in public too often. However, he raised the issue of Brazilian beef and the competition and pressure that beef will put on the European markets on which Irish farmers depend. A recent interesting broadcast of the radio programme "Worlds Apart", presented by Rodney Rice, focused on the San Pablo region in Brazil. Mr. Rice met local people, as well as interviewing people...

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2005)

Eamon Scanlon: I concur with Senator McHugh. BreastCheck is a serious issue in the north west and it was hotly debated last week on local radio and at a Border regional authority meeting. However, we are assured it will be rolled out. The Tánaiste has given us a guarantee that there will be a service in Sligo by 2007. Hopefully, it might happen before then. With regard to trains, thanks to our Leader——

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2005)

Eamon Scanlon: It is important to say this because we get the blame when things do not happen——