Results 17,261-17,280 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2007)

David Norris: Yesterday, I briefly mentioned a protest that was taking place outside the gates by a group of Kurkish people. The Kurds are among the most oppressed people on the planet. They have been denied a homeland, their territory has been carved up, their villages bulldozed, women raped, men tortured and families driven through minefields. There is a point here for us as parliamentarians because...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2007)

David Norris: He stuck a good one in their eye just now in his little deal with the EU, so one can sell out on human rights as much as one wishes but one will get damn all back from the Americans. I have the greatest pleasure in finding two items of disagreement with Senator Mansergh. The first is the business that we are all in favour of the 12.5% corporation tax deal. On the surface it is quite a...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2007)

David Norris: I am calling for a debate. On a more spiritual note, I also disagree with Senator Mansergh about the prayer. I said this a long time ago. I do not think it is appropriate. It is wrong to say that everybody here agrees that "every word and act of ours shall be inspired from Thee". There are people who are agnostics and atheists. In the other House there were Jewish Members and there have...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2007)

David Norris: I am a regular church going member of the Anglican community and unlike Senator Mansergh, I can recognise the graces and melody of Cranmer's prose and one does not achieve it simply by sticking in the word "please".

Seanad: Building Control Bill 2005: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: I thank my colleague, Senator O'Toole, for making his time available to me. This is a very important matter. Architecture is a most important and honourable profession. I regret that my university does not have a faculty of architecture, which is a great shame. There is one in the National University of Ireland. I wonder why, even under this Bill, people with architecture degrees are not...

Seanad: Building Control Bill 2005: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: I would be delighted to come. I accept that Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were not qualified. There is a need for a so-called grandfather clause of some kind, but I do not see any reason there should not be proper assessment. It seems quite reasonable to me. However, there are a few problems with matters such as certification. I have been supplied with some hypothetical situations...

Seanad: Building Control Bill 2005: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: Absolutely. Look at Telephone House in Marlborough Street where a row of perfectly fine 18th century domestic dwellings were demolished. The site was sold off to the pension fund of a British trade union and that monstrosity was built and won an architectural award because of the slime running down its wall. It is an appalling monstrosity. They have carried out some titivation on it so it...

Seanad: Building Control Bill 2005: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: May I make a final point?

Seanad: Building Control Bill 2005: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: Will the Minister try to ensure that there are fewer one-bedroomed apartments with no parking spaces in the city of Dublin? This creates a volatile, transient community whose cars are parked on the street. Having alienated all my friends who are architects, I thank God that few of them are graduates of Trinity College and I leave Senator O'Toole to deal with the backwash of anything I said...

Seanad: Building Control Bill 2005: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: The Minister ought to name and shame him.

Seanad: Building Control Bill 2005: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: Will the Minister tell me privately afterwards?

Seanad: Building Control Bill 2005: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: Too vulgar for the Minister, I am afraid.

Seanad: Community Services Funding. (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: I also welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, to the House. I am particularly glad that he is in the Minister's chair. In the early days of my political career, I recall listening to him as a young Deputy talking passionately to a virtually empty Dáil Chamber about social conditions in his own constituency. I think it was the area around Ballymun, although I cannot remember. He...

Seanad: Community Services Funding. (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: Darndale, yes, I remember that very clearly. In respect of this Adjournment matter, I must declare a series of interests. I have raised it because of some old friends of mine who may be known to the Minister of State, at least by reputation. I have asked their permission to mention their names. They are George Morrison and his wife Janet. George is one of our most distinguished artists in...

Seanad: Community Services Funding. (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: I thank the Minister of State for his reply and was not aware of the cancelled meetings nor the reasons for the cancellations. I will encourage the group to take up this opportunity for a meeting and will suggest it makes applications, which should include this debate from the Official Report of the House, to both sources. This will be intended as an encouragement to State agencies to...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: The Senator's amendment was better than the Government's.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: I thank the Leader for alerting me. Is it the article on the subject in question?

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: On me?

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: The Senators must excuse me. I must find out what Mr. O'Toole wrote.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Mar 2007)

David Norris: With the indulgence of the House, I would like to await the Minister of State's reply before commenting.