Results 18,041-18,060 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Following clarification with the Deputy's office I understand that the information being sought is the total expenditure by my Department on translations from English into Irish for 2010. Expenditure in relation to translation costs in 2010 for my Department are covered by material provided by the Department of Finance in respect of that year, given that the Department of Public Expenditure...

ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Then what?

ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: It does.

ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: It is a fact completely denied by the Deputies opposite who maintain that we can walk away from the EU-IMF deal and somehow restore the lost resource by magic. The truth is that if we walk away from the deal and instruct the only funder available to the State to take a hike, as some of the Deputies opposite suggest, we would have to find that €15 billion immediately or shut down services....

ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: No. We had no wish to throw money at Anglo Irish Bank.

ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: It was done by the previous Government. Money was committed solemnly by the State. Sometimes the Deputies opposite pay regard to the institutions of the State, but a solemn agreement was entered into by an elected Government and voted on by the Parliament. That is not something from which one can walk away without consequences.

ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: No. It would collapse the economy. I realise there is an anarchic trend in some of the Deputies opposite which would welcome this, but let us tell the people the truth. The programme for Government includes a commitment to release value from the State's portfolio of assets, with the intention of using the proceeds to fund investment in the productive capacity of the economy. The programme...

An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I thank Deputy Catherine Murphy for the amendment and for the clear exposition of her position. I regret that I did not have a chance to respond to Second Stage, the way it fell last week. I want to say a few words about the genesis of this proposal. Anybody who knows me over time will be aware that I am interested in the development of Parliament and the re-balancing of the powers of...

An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: What specifically are they?

An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I have specifically designed this in order that it cannot be a numbers game. However, we cannot have the tyranny of the minority either. The tyranny of the majority is one thing, but the notion that a 10% minority could overrule a 90% majority is worse because it would be a negation of fundamental democracy. The construct of this inquiry system is taking away from the Government. I...

An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Let me deal with that issue front-up because it is a simple matter. It is an absolute established convention that all articles of the Constitution must be read harmoniously. It is the same in law with the Interpretation Act. This determines how law is interpreted across potentially conflicting statutes. The Constitution must be read harmoniously. There is no doubt that the established...

An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Tairgim leasú Uimh. 2: I gCuid 1, leathanach 7, líne 7, "fiosrú a dhéanamh" a scriosadh agus "imscrúdú a dhéanamh" a chur ina ionad. I move amendment No. 2: In Part 1, page 6, line 7, to delete "fiosrú a dheanamh" and substitute "imscrúdú a dhéanamh". This is a technical amendment which relates to the Irish translation of subsection 3° of the Schedule. In this subsection, the...

An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Tairgim leasú a 2a: I gCuid 1, leathanach 7, líne 13, ", ag féachaint go cuí do na prionsabail a ghabhann le nósanna imeachta córa," a chur isteach i ndiaidh "a chinneadh", agus I gCuid 2, leathanach 7, líne 26, ", with due regard to the principles of fair procedures," a chur isteach i ndiaidh "determine". I move amendment No. 2a: In Part 1, page 6, line 13, after "a chinneadh" to...

An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Members opposite for their thoughtful contributions and addressing this issue. It is an important advance for the Oireachtas to deal with these matters. I will deal with Deputy McDonald's points and thank her for the amendment she tabled. She can claim ownership because her amendment certainly formed part of the persuasive argument to make explicit what I considered to be...

An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: We will consider that. It is a fair point. As the Deputy knows, there is extensive constitutional and human rights legislation on the freedom of the press and I cannot make any commitment in this forum to trample on that because freedom of the press has been carefully protected in cases in the European Court of Human Rights. I hear the point Deputy is making.

Statement for Information of Voters in relation to the Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Motion (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Tairgim: "GO ndéanfar an ráiteas a leagtar amach sa Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Rún seo a fhorordú mar fhaisnéis do vótálaithe de bhun alt 23 d'Acht an Reifrinn, 1994 (Uimh. 12 de 1994), i ndáil leis an togra chun Airteagal 15.10 den Bhunreacht a leasú, ar togra é atá sa Bhille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais), 2011 agus atá ina ábhar...

An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Tá sé as Gaeilge agus as Béarla.

Departmental Appointments (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: They were not talking about founding another party.

Departmental Appointments (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: From Deputy McDonald.

Departmental Appointments (20 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I answered a written question on that matter today.