Results 18,581-18,600 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Dec 2005)

David Norris: I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he proposes to examine the laws relating to consent. He indicated that he was troubled, particularly about a case which came before the courts recently where a 17 year old boy and a 15 year old girl engaged in consensual sexual activity and the 17 year old was convicted of statutory rape. The judge expressed...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Dec 2005)

David Norris: I join with my colleagues in calling for a protest to be made about the statement of President Ahmadinejad but if the protest is to be made to the ambassador, we will have a difficulty because he has disappeared. President Ahmadinejad is somebody who is in touch with a different reality to that with which most of us are in contact. I saw him being interviewed recently and he spoke about how,...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Dec 2005)

David Norris: If they came to the House, I would welcome them and think it would be splendid if they sat——

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Dec 2005)

David Norris: I genuinely think it is a good idea. This was what the Senate was about in the Roman period — wise old heads bringing their experience to bear on politics.

Seanad: Care of the Elderly: Motion. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: Flexitime.

Seanad: Student Enrolment. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: I wish to share time with Senator Henry. I welcome the Minister for Education and Science to the House. She will want to address the situation I am going to outline. She is aware of it because one of my constituents has been in touch with her about it — the disadvantage faced by Irish applicants to Irish medical schools who must compete for entry with people from outside the European Union....

Seanad: Student Enrolment. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: I thank the Minister for her clear reply and for the indication that proposals will go to Government in this session.

Seanad: Student Enrolment. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: I mean this session of the Parliament, before the next election.

Seanad: Student Enrolment. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: While I welcome what the Minister said, I regret that it probably will not be possible to do anything for this particular individual. It appears that he is going to Nottingham. It is a loss to Ireland that a good, decent and caring young man must go abroad for his education. I hope he will be able to come back and make up for some of the deficiencies in the health service here. I wish he had...

Seanad: Care of the Elderly: Motion. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: There is only one left.

Seanad: Care of the Elderly: Motion. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: I agree with Senator O'Toole that it is regrettable these matters become a subject of contention on partisan lines and I will vote with the Government this evening. It praises itself too much but we need to encourage it because good work has been done in this budget. The Minister of State is decent and caring, which is obvious from his comment that the visits of meals on wheels providers were...

Seanad: University College Galway (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: Ar an gcéad dul síos, cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. B'fhearr liom an Ghaeilge a labhairt go minic sa Seanad, ach níl an teanga agam go flúirseach.

Seanad: University College Galway (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: I am sorry about that because I loved Irish in school.

Seanad: University College Galway (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: I thank the Acting Chairman for that. I had a very good Irish teacher, the late Frank Peters from Cork, and as a result of his ministrations I believe I am the only person around who is still a member of the Peig Sayers fan club and appreciation society. For people like me, it opened up a whole world that I had not suspected, the world of the old Gaelic life as survived out on the islands in...

Seanad: University College Galway (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: Yes, the subtitles. They are fine documentaries on that station. The Minister is being sensible and practical in this Bill unlike other elements within the Government. I completely agree with Senator O'Toole that the narrow fanatical pushing of the placename issue over the heads of local people is disastrous. It is what gets people's backs up against the language. That should not be done. We...

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: I ask the Leader again if we can continue to have a debate on Iraq. It is very important, even though sometimes we must feel like a Greek chorus, lamenting impotently the folly and blindness of leaders. There is something very tragic in seeing a great country like the United States miring itself in the filth of the war in Iraq. To illustrate how important it is that we continue to speak out...

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: Thank you, a Chathaoirligh. I agree with much of what my distinguished colleague, Senator O'Toole, said on the subject of Irish. It was very refreshing to hear the ding dong, as Gaeilge, between Senators O'Toole and Ryan. It demonstrated that the language has not quite died.

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Dec 2005)

David Norris: I am grateful to my colleagues for that and regret my own inadequacy in the language. However, I believe the argument about placenames shows an arrogant fanaticism that drives people away from Irish and it should be corrected. The translation of documents into Irish can help to revive the language, if jobs are created. Jobs are where the survival of the language rests. However, we must take a...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (13 Dec 2005)

David Norris: She should be in Government on her own.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (13 Dec 2005)

David Norris: Hear, hear, the Senator is absolutely right.