Results 17,701-17,720 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

David Norris: Eventually, yes. However, she lasted for ten years and lived to be 103.

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

David Norris: The term is covenanting. Between the document we drew up on covenanting and the assistance of the Government, I am pleased to say the establishment has its doors open to this day, which is terrific.

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

David Norris: It is in Harold's Cross. It is also extremely disturbing for elderly people, who are used to a regime, to be moved somewhere else. This is a problem, regardless of whether it is as good.

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I accept the Government must regularise the position, particularly after it was discovered that there was an illegality in taking money from people. However, one of my concerns regarding the Bill is that it states that older people with an income of more than €9,000 per year, or savings worth more than €36,000, may be refused subvention. The sum of €9,000 per year is very small. I am...

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

David Norris: This is not a large sum. Moreover, a subvention is merely a top-up and if these figures are accurate, it seems to be extremely mean-minded. The question of the home also arises. In a small number of cases, there is a possibility that people might be able to return home after some restorative care. It seems to be unnecessary in every case to sell a modest suburban home. It seems that under...

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

David Norris: If that is the case, I am all in favour of it.

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

David Norris: However, the reports——

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I am delighted by that. However, it does not appear to be the Bill's objective. Perhaps this can be examined.

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

David Norris: Have I?

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

David Norris: Not really.

Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (7 Dec 2006)

David Norris: However, the interruptions certainly were most helpful. In fact I would scarcely describe them as interruptions. They were well intentioned additions to my comments from my friends on the Government side of the House, with whom I disagreed only yesterday regarding the Defamation Bill. I am glad that in the spirit of reconciliation and Christmas, all Members are again at one in attempting...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I welcome the Minister to the House but I do not really welcome the Bill, although I will probably be a lone voice in the latter respect. As long as I have been a Member of this House, there has been pressure from newspaper proprietors and editors to make life easier for them. I can understand that because they are human beings and have their own interests, but it would be a great pity if...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Dec 2006)

David Norris: The electorate is perfectly entitled to get him but one must consider the degree of malice sometimes shown by newspapers. I am worried that the proposed press council will not be independent. A group that calls for independence for everybody else does not like independence for itself and is governed by weak guidelines. Let us operate a code similar to that applied by the British NUJ whose...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Dec 2006)

David Norris: The figure was repeatedly adjusted. Everything was done to humiliate him, after which he was not awarded his costs. I would be very careful in this regard. It is fair that one cannot libel the dead. We all use this when we tell stories. In one particular story I refer to the late Sir Laurence Olivier. The only reason I name him is that I know he is dead and cannot take a libel case. It...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I find myself in the embarrassing situation of agreeing with Senator Mansergh's comments about the rebroadcasting this morning of a budget speech given some years ago by the former Minister, Mr. Ray MacSharry. The speech, in which Mr. MacSharry referred to the difficult days we were experiencing at the time, was stark in the extreme. He said that while there had been decreases in...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2006)

David Norris: I hope the Minister for Finance decides to pay off some more of the national debt in today's budget. It would be wonderful if we could become debt-free in these times of prosperity. I would like to speak about the extraordinary figures relating to the sentencing of prisoners which have been mentioned by other Senators. I gather the figures can be compared to the equivalent international...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2006)

David Norris: It would just catapult them back in again. It would be a complete waste of time. I have just learned to my sorrow that there is no such thing as an original idea. I had written down what I planned to say about the annual cost of €90,000 for the detention of people in ordinary prisons and of €250,000 for the fancy accommodation for the Shinners. One could certainly send people to good...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2006)

David Norris: It would do them good. It would certainly save the Exchequer money. I am a little concerned about the question of fluoridation. I have been contacted by people who have far more information on the matter than I have. We have certain medical personnel of various kinds in this House. I have received a press release from the Irish Medical News, stating that parents in Ireland who make up...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2006)

David Norris: If a person can hardly afford to live, what is the point? It is outrageous.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Dec 2006)

David Norris: Why not?