Results 17,941-17,960 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Seanad: Economic Outlook: Motion (14 May 2008)

Shane Ross: I have listened to a large number of debates similar to this one over the years in this House. They take a predictable pattern. The Government blames international global players and markets, and the Opposition blames the Government. The Government claims the credit when things are going right and the Opposition claims it is because of international markets. This debate has not taken a...

Seanad: Road Network (7 May 2008)

Shane Ross: I was about to issue the usual complaint that we do not have a Cabinet Minister in the House but perhaps we do. We will find out very shortly. I hope so and I wish the Minister of State, Deputy Smith well in the hours to come. I raise the issue of the M50 and the degree of ministerial responsibility on the setting of the tolls when and if they are implemented in August. The Minister will...

Seanad: Road Network (7 May 2008)

Shane Ross: May I follow that up with a question?

Seanad: Road Network (7 May 2008)

Shane Ross: Is there a good reason?

Seanad: Road Network (7 May 2008)

Shane Ross: I find an anomaly in this area. The road we are talking about is under Government control. The Minister of State said in his reply that the day-to-day running of the roads is under the remit of the NRA. That is technically true. However, the buy-out, which is the important thing for the M50, was decided and paid for by the Government. The former Minister, Deputy Cullen, regularly...

Seanad: Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 May 2008)

Shane Ross: With the permission of the House I wish to share my time with Senator Rónán Mullen in proportions to be very strongly weighted in my favour. I listened to what Senator Keaveney said and I agree with some of it. The historical points she addressed are absolutely correct. On the whole, Europe has been good for Ireland and if gratitude exists in politics, let us be grateful to it for what it...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2008)

Shane Ross: As an aside, I congratulate Senator Regan but he should bear in mind that his award should not go to his head. Among his predecessors are Senator Leyden and myself.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2008)

Shane Ross: We were never made fun of in this House.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2008)

Shane Ross: We should put it in perspective.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2008)

Shane Ross: I have a matter which is not just housekeeping and is important. I was very pleased to see the motion on Zimbabwe on the Order Paper, as it was bounced on, so to speak, in the last 24 hours as far as I can see. I rushed down to the Chamber to make a speech on Zimbabwe as it was something in which I was interested only to be absolutely shattered to find it is simply an all-party motion to be...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Apr 2008)

Shane Ross: Senator Coghlan spoke on the issue which I wish to raise. It was also raised by one of the Senators on the Government side of the House last week. What has happened to the auctioneering Bill? It has been promised for years. Senator O'Toole and I brought up this matter approximately five years ago and it has been promised every year since then. It is relevant today because, as I am sure...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Apr 2008)

Shane Ross: This has resulted in the creation of a false market in housing. This is far more serious than the issue I raised last week regarding the lack of financial regulation in the stock exchange and in other areas. Whereas the problems in these sectors are serious in that there may or may not be factors causing a distortion in the market, in the housing sector there is a false market being created...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Apr 2008)

Shane Ross: I am referring to rogue auctioneers, I am not being specific about anyone. I am saying there are rogue auctioneers around and about.

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Apr 2008)

Shane Ross: The reason they are tolerated is the reason I was interrupted in this House. It is because there are so many of them in the Oireachtas, the Seanad and the county councils. These people must be brought to book.

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Apr 2008)

Shane Ross: Bullshit.

Seanad: Schools Building Projects: Motion (23 Apr 2008)

Shane Ross: I second the motion and I thank Senator O'Toole for tabling it in the name of the Independent Senators. He has put his finger on a serious problem. While we pay lip-service to education, I see real dangers and a similarity between the state of Irish education and the state of the Irish economy when the Celtic tiger started taking off. What we seem to have had in 1993 was a tremendous boom...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2008)

Shane Ross: We have accepted the findings of the courts.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (17 Apr 2008)

Shane Ross: Oh, no.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2008)

Shane Ross: I also wish to be associated with the tributes to former President Hillery. I regret that I was unable to attend the funeral yesterday. However, it is appropriate that everyone should pay tribute to this man who was, in his quiet way, as great a President as we have had. I also wish to ask the Leader of the House to facilitate a full debate on financial regulation. While it sounds like a...

Seanad: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Apr 2008)

Shane Ross: I raise the need for the Minister for Education and Science to implement the programme for Government relating to class sizes in both primary and secondary schools, reducing pupil-teacher ratio to the appropriate level of 24 pupils per teacher. I salute the teachers of Ireland for their recent concentration on the pupil-teacher ratio. It was refreshing to witness the union conferences at...