Results 18,721-18,740 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: That is what the House is about and nearly all of us are in agreement on that, even if we are not in agreement about the underlining issues. I plead with the Acting Leader to give the House a debate on a relevant issue, not on an issue like pensions, which will not affect a great number of us for at least ten years.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: In view of the Acting Leader's extremely considerate agreement to have a debate, and presuming it will take place at an early date, I will not press the amendment.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: No. Why should he?

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: It is not over yet.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: I do not see much point in having debates on Aer Lingus unless the Taoiseach comes to the House. Senator O'Toole referred to the lack of a need for politicking. I sympathise with that but Aer Lingus is all about politics. That is the trouble with it. The person who is pulling the strings on Aer Lingus is not Mr. Walsh, the management or the Minister; it is the Taoiseach. We only had to listen...

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: The issue will be fudged again and eventually we will not have a working airline at all. Senator Dooley condemned what he called the corporate hijacking of the airline. I like his choice of expression. I welcome the corporate hijacking.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: Senator O'Toole will be able to contribute to the debate and will put on the cloth cap again, as he normally does.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: I welcome corporate hijacking. Aer Lingus was bust before the corporate hijacking and will be bust again if we do not do something about it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: What we need is the man who is responsible to come to the House. I will finish now if you do not interrupt me, a Chathaoirligh.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: Can they interrupt me also?

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: I ask the Leader to ask the man who is dictating the policy on Aer Lingus to come to the House for a debate.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: The Minister does not have the power; the Taoiseach is pulling the strings.

Seanad: Tax Code: Motion. (10 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: I welcome the Minister. I was about to criticise the fatuousness of debating a motion of this sort because Government motions are often used as platforms for self-congratulation and the Opposition merely goes through the motions in opposing them. That the Government has produced a motion of this sort and that it has been seriously addressed by the Minister for Finance is a welcome...

Seanad: Tax Code: Motion. (10 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: Senator Dardis was not there and no doubt he would have been extremely uncomfortable there, as were many of the people who were. The Minister said that the tax system we have had, which was somehow a revelation to Fianna Fáil and everybody else in 1993-94, is working. I am open to contradiction but he said that low taxes give jobs and create prosperity. He said it himself, which I thought...

Seanad: Tax Code: Motion. (10 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: I think Senator Dardis can live with it too. He is showing great art of compromise in this area. I wish to sound a note of warning of a dark cloud on the horizon — the issue of the public sector and public sector pay. Not long ago the public service rolled all over the Government and achieved benchmarking which caused some controversy in this House. It cost a lot of money and I think...

Seanad: Public Transport in the Greater Dublin Area: Statements. (9 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: I thank Senator Paddy Burke for his courtesy. It is fashionable and easy to bellyache about public transport and people will do so whenever they are in Opposition. Ministers for Transport are easy targets and they have a very difficult job. I agree with much of what Senator Ormonde said about the improvements which have taken place in transport in the Dublin area in recent times. Not...

Seanad: Public Transport in the Greater Dublin Area: Statements. (9 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: I am sorry I accepted Senator Burke's time.

Seanad: Public Transport in the Greater Dublin Area: Statements. (9 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: No, that is not correct. Dublin University is not in my constituency. The graduates of Dublin University are my constituents. It would be very wrong if we decided, willy-nilly, to excise some of that territory without the co-operation and agreement of Dublin University. We have to be careful that modern transport does not interfere with the great heritage we are privileged to have. When I was...

Seanad: Public Transport in the Greater Dublin Area: Statements. (9 Nov 2004)

Shane Ross: They were cheaper as well. People used them and gave Mr. O'Sullivan the sort of mandate small private competitors need in this area against the great monopolies. The Minister should have the courage — the former Minister, Deputy Brennan, hesitated too much — to insist on competition with CIE, not on one or two particular routes but on all routes because that will benefit CIE also. One...