Results 17,801-17,820 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Seanad: Employment Rights (6 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: Senator Quinn on the Order of Business raised the matter of sharing time on this matter. If he comes in, I will share time with him. This issue is the need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment to make a statement on the campaign of the National Employment Rights Authority to review the pay and conditions records of employees in the restaurants sector. This...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: I wish to take up a point made by Senator Hannigan. The Leader promised to make time available for regular debates on the banking industry. Within the next two hours, the European Central Bank is set to reduce its rates by 0.5%. That should be a case for great rejoicing in this House and throughout Europe because it is meant to give a boost to the economies of member states, particularly...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2008)

Shane Ross: Like everybody else, I believe it is a wonderful day for the world. One can do no more than add one's congratulations to those which go unanimously from this House to President-elect Obama. It is important, however, to echo what has been said by other Members. Ireland probably did not rate highly on President-elect Obama's radar during the election. In fact, it is greatly to his advantage...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: The Minister stated that he does not agree with some of the targets. He did not really identify those targets. That is fine. Let him alter the targets. I have no difficulty in that regard. Let us just set the targets and get on with it. The Bill is not a panacea and I am not claiming that the targets are all perfect. Forfás indicated that it believes the Minister's targets would not...

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: I knew that if I had not included it, the Members on the Government side would not have been happy. There are 800 quangos which they are not prepared to touch. It is a bit bloody rich for Senators on the Government side to state that they are not enamoured of the quangos the Bill proposes to create. I am pleased with the acknowledgement from those Members who actually read the Bill. I...

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: What it requires is that they do not put cronies on the board but people who have to be passed by a two thirds majority of a joint committee of the Houses. They would not get their pals through. I do not blame them for not liking it. That new type of quango could be a model for other quangos. The Members on the Government benches will hate it because their cronies will not be appointed...

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: I thank Senators Burke, Coffey, O'Toole, O'Reilly, Quinn, Prendergast, McFadden, Boyle, Carty, Walsh and Callely for contributing to the debate. I was disappointed by the Minister's response to the Bill, which was deliberately tailored in such a way as to give him an opportunity to accept it. The Bill was structured so that there would not be much in it to which he could object and so that...

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: The Minister knows that full well. When I heard his objections, I came to the conclusion that there is a reluctance to tackle this problem with any great speed.

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Order for Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: I move: "That Second Stage be taken today."

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I introduce this Bill with some enthusiasm and also with a great deal of exasperation. Approximately two years ago I raised the issue of broadband in this House and it was greeted with some astonishment and a certain amount of diffidence by Members. Approximately a year ago I reintroduced the matter in a Private Members' motion, and we got...

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: The board would not be approved by a Minister. We would not let the Minister get his political hands on it.

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: The Minister has only 15 minutes.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: Like Senator McFadden I had expected not to be called. I had rather hoped not to be called and to be called first tomorrow but I will accept my lot. I support the calls that have been made for a debate on education. That is a crying need and the issue that will erupt in the next week but we cannot get the Minister for Education and Science in here because the Minister is in China, and it...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: The wrong people are talking about the wrong issues while the Taoiseach and the Minister who should be here are on the other side of the world.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: There is major confusion, and I ask the Leader to address this, that investment has got nothing to do with education but with pounds, shillings and pence. The Government has taken a view that education funding can be cut in the same way as public finances in other areas, in other words, taxation.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: We urgently need a debate on education, which does not address just the issue of how much can be saved but the long-term vision.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: I ask the Leader to give us a commitment that when the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, has stopped giving interviews about education — about which he is not in touch — from the other side of the world, he will come in here either tomorrow — there is time for him to get back here, where he should be — or early next week for a debate on education.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Shane Ross: I certainly do not represent any financial institutions. If the Leader——