Results 17,641-17,660 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2006)

David Norris: That is not true.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2006)

David Norris: That is not true either.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2006)

David Norris: There is no doubt that the situation relating to crime is serious. Falsifying statistics does not make the argument, however, and neither do wild statements about do-gooders having more regard for the human rights of accused people. That is simply not true. There is a case for considering establishing some kind of special court, not for the reasons given on the other side of the House, but...

Seanad: Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: This is important legislation. We must keep the film industry going and Senator Mansergh is correct in that regard. I share some of his favourite films. "Barry Lyndon" was a superb film. It was made at Huntingdon Castle in Clonegal. The film crew put an extra wing on the castle which the owners were reluctant to demolish because it improved the castle's appearance. The industry is a big...

Seanad: Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: Absolutely. These are important people. Senator McCarthy might have meant his mention of make-up artists as a joke——

Seanad: Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I am glad to hear it. There was a smile on his face and I mistook that to mean he was joking. In fact, I believe an Irish make-up artist received an Oscar or a similarly important award in Los Angeles in recent years. We should be very proud of the industry. There must be something dreadfully wrong in the air because I must agree with Senator Mansergh for a second time in the space of a...

Seanad: Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: They never started. The Telegraph did not like it.

Seanad: Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: Ken Loach is British.

Seanad: Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: Which of us is Flurry Knox?

Seanad: Garda Reform: Statements (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I also welcome the Minister. He has been most generous with his time and he has shown great respect for the Seanad by the way in which he has introduced Bills and made himself available to listen to debates such as this one. As a Member of this House, I welcome that. I wish to refer to a number of matters raised in the Minister's speech before coming to other matters. The first is his...

Seanad: Garda Reform: Statements (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I commended the Minister's party and ministerial colleague, the former Tánaiste, Deputy Harney, because she was accused by the newspapers of saving money. I said I thought it was a very good thing and she should not be penalised for it. Perhaps some of the money the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, is saving can be used for this purpose. The Minister could hardly suggest...

Seanad: Garda Reform: Statements (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: What I said previously stands, but one can have enough. It would be incorrect to assume these matters are confined to the County Donegal area. It is necessary to keep an eye on the situation. The Minister will be familiar with the old Latin tag, quis custodiet ipsos custodes, who will guard the guards themselves? We need to keep an eye on this to ensure these practices do not spread. It...

Seanad: Garda Reform: Statements (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I know that. I do not accuse Senator Cummins at all. He might well have been called Himmler if he had referred to numbers.

Seanad: Garda Reform: Statements (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I know it was, but the Minister has already used the Goebbels analogy so I thought he might like another little smear and Himmler is more suited to Senator Cummins as he has glasses. It is most unfortunate that people would play politics with these numbers because they are approximately correct. It would be fair enough if there was a real problem. That is partly due to the Garda reserve,...

Seanad: Garda Reform: Statements (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I hope it will be as flexible as Senator Walsh's minute. The problem of drunkenness needs to be looked at. The Minister needs to look at the licensing laws because they are far too vague. I complained about licensing laws and I got into severe trouble, but the Minister knows every huckster's shop in this town is stuffed to the roof with vodka. I wish to raise one other matter — I have...

Seanad: Garda Reform: Statements (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I recognise the minute was definitely flexible. We are doing it already in a minor way by the provision of methadone maintenance programmes. We should look honestly at them. I did not come up with this solution on my own. I heard this being advocated 15 years ago from the Fianna Fáil benches in the Seanad by its then spokesman on health, Dr. John O'Connell.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: Exactly.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: We have debated it. The Senator was talking rubbish.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I will not.