Results 17,201-17,220 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Government and Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2011)

Shane Ross: Yes, give me one. I do not want to be paid. The Minister can give members of the Technical Group one each.

Government and Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2011)

Shane Ross: Let us divide the positions in a meaningful, less political way and not use the appointments as rewards. Let us give the committees meaningful powers to amend legislation to be returned to the House.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2011)

Shane Ross: That is correct. My immediate reaction to this Bill is one of approval because it is important that the idea of public expenditure is taken in isolation and addressed. Whatever the ideological view people take on public expenditure, there is undoubtedly a problem and a need to readdress those difficulties, which have been the cause of our deficit. The Minister, Deputy Howlin's, speech was...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2011)

Shane Ross: Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2011)

Shane Ross: Last night, the Government supported moves by Bank of Ireland, EBS and Irish Life & Permanent to burn the junior bondholders in those three financial institutions. Everybody in this House will welcome that decision. It was a fine decision and it seems to be a break with previous decisions by all Governments that in order to sort out the banking crisis, the small people, pensioners,...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2011)

Shane Ross: In light of the fact that pensioners are paying a huge amount to subsidise job creation and that their money has been confiscated for this reason, when these discussions conclude will the Taoiseach consider making a direct transfer, if the findings are consistent with this, from the industry to the 0.6% fund rather than from the pensioners and their contributions?

Criminal Justice Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (31 May 2011)

Shane Ross: I congratulate the Minister on his swift decision to introduce long overdue legislation in this area. It is refreshing that even though this legislation is unnecessarily inadequate in its scope because the Minister has just taken up his position, it is welcome that he is attacking this problem. I temper that by pointing to areas, which it does not but should address and which I would like...

Order of Business (26 May 2011)

Shane Ross: On the subject of future legislation, I wish to follow up on a question asked on the Order of Business yesterday by Deputy Martin regarding whistleblowers' legislation. The Taoiseach replied that such legislation was forthcoming because it is included in the programme for Government. However, he then stated that a referendum would be necessary in this regard. I am puzzled as to the reason...

Order of Business (26 May 2011)

Shane Ross: Would the Minister consider introducing it in two stages, namely, the part that needs the constitutional referendum and the part which is-----

Order of Business (26 May 2011)

Shane Ross: The referendum will delay it.

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (24 May 2011)

Shane Ross: Question 100: To ask the Minister for Finance the status of those who will interview candidates for the positions on bank boards as advertised in the media; the way the interview board was selected; the interviewers' expertise in the financial area; if they will be selected purely from the ranks of his Department; if there will be any representatives of the private sector on the interview...

Leaders' Questions. (24 May 2011)

Shane Ross: In the light of the immensely successful visits to this country by President Obama and the Queen of England and the re-establishment of very close links between friends, for which welcome and successful visits I congratulate the Taoiseach and the Government, I wonder if the Taoiseach might approach Europe with a greater degree of self-confidence, a quality that has not been evident in...

Leaders' Questions. (24 May 2011)

Shane Ross: I understand the Taoiseach's reply. Perhaps the Minister will change her mind when she changes her job. People often do that.

Leaders' Questions. (24 May 2011)

Shane Ross: Before he makes a decision, will the Taoiseach ask Madame Lagarde what her position is, and will be, on corporate tax and the reduction of our interest rate before he decides what the position of the Government will be on her candidature?

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (19 May 2011)

Shane Ross: On behalf of the Technical Group I wish to join in the sympathy expressed by all parties to the family of Dr. Garret FitzGerald, especially to John, Mark and Mary. I should state the first day I was in the Seanad, Dr. Garret FitzGerald was Taoiseach and he brought his constitutional crusade to the Seanad on that day. That was the initial move in a crusade the culmination of which we saw...

Written Answers — Banking Sector: Banking Sector (17 May 2011)

Shane Ross: Question 142: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of expressions of interest or responses he has received to his requests for interests in board vacancies at the banks; the number of candidates who fulfilled the necessary criteria; if all responses will receive replies; the persons who will be conducting the interviews; if the final decision on the appointments will rest with the...

Report of the Standing Order 103 Select Committee: Motion (17 May 2011)

Shane Ross: I congratulate everybody who has spoken on the motion and the degree of unanimity is very welcome. We are tip-toeing around the issue because what is happening here is very obvious. It is a nakedly political issue and in considering the timing of what is going on, it is obvious that this is related to what is happening on corporate tax or our negotiations with the ECB, the EU and the IMF....

Electoral (Amendment) (Political Donations) Bill 2011: Second Stage (resumed) (11 May 2011)

Shane Ross: This is a problem which I do not believe is easily soluble but I welcome the fact it has reached the House so early in the session. If we are honest money buys votes. All the surveys on this suggest that money does buy votes. The question that arises is whether money buys politicians as well. The Irish experience in recent times indicates that money also buys politicians. How to avoid...

Leaders' Questions (11 May 2011)

Shane Ross: There seems to be a broad consensus around the House that this was a modest effort at creating jobs and nobody seems to disagree with the efforts made by the Government to do so. The problem is on the other side, on the tax on what the Minister referred to yesterday as the pensions industry. There is a certain misnomer or misunderstanding about what he was saying. If he was tackling the...

Leaders' Questions (11 May 2011)

Shane Ross: Yes. In view of the fact that a whole industry is looting pensioners and benefiting from their contributions, did the Government consider putting a cap on pension fund fees – in other words, charges for managers – and then putting a 50% tax on them? Such a move would have produced a figure very close to the €470 million figure the Government came up with for its job creation fund.