Results 19,021-19,040 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Motion. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: I always get extremely good value from your generous self, a Chathaoirligh.

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: Listening to Senator Mansergh, I could not help observing how much more appropriate it would have been if the representative of Sinn Féin had been seated on the other side of the House along with Fianna Fáil, the Republican Party, that spawned Sinn Féin.

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: Sinn Féin Members are not independent. They are not even independent of their army. They should be on the other side of the House with the party which spawned them. I could say I respect what Gerry Adams calls his party's mandate.

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: I thank the Cathaoirleach for reminding me that I am speaking about the European constitution. This afternoon represents an exercise very largely in historical blather. We have all this stuff about the war and so on. Does anybody suggest that if the treaty fails, which I believe is very likely, we would all be back to war again? I do not think so.

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: It seems as if that is going down a very dangerous and speculative road. We have also heard, probably correctly, that Europe will not interfere through its courts and through policy direction in what are regarded coyly in this country as moral matters and that Europe will not give central direction on issues like abortion, divorce, etc. While that is true, I point out that in the early days...

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: That is what I am doing. I am talking about the democratic deficit and I will continue to do so. Mr. Buttiglioni campaigned and voted on equality issues. I suggest to Mr. Crowley, MEP, that if he had campaigned and voted on the rights of people in wheelchairs in the same way he would have been very quick to get him off any committee that dealt with that area. However, I believe it is quite...

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: —— under which special provisions are being made for the church, including the kinds of shameful provisions that were made in this country to exempt religious institutions from the operation of the equality legislation. What kind of Christianity is it if we have the major Christian churches exempting themselves from equality——

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: That is exactly what I am doing.

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: I am astonished that the Cathaoirleach could find that I am not. I am talking about the impact of lobbying on the constitution. I could not be more centrally directed or more focused. For the information of the Cathaoirleach, I am talking about paragraph 1 of section 52 of the treaty. Does that satisfy his requirements?

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: The church has acquired consultative status, which provides for the Catholic Church to be consulted in the pre-drafting stage of legislation when it is believed it would have an interest. People are right to feel concerned about the issue. I very much hope that this aspect at least will not be confirmed in the treaty. I am divided on the treaty. I was against earlier treaties because of their...

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: Rubbish. The Senator should consider Mr. Buttiglioni's voting record.

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: The Senator should reflect on Mr. Buttiglioni's voting record, which showed he was the most inappropriate person to be a European Commissioner.

Seanad: Constitution for Europe: Statements. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: Not by me.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: There are vested interests.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: Senator Leyden is at all times ready.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: I acknowledge the praise.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: I again ask for a debate on Iraq. New material emerges all the time. As I predicted, the Senate committee in America came up against the shattering force of the truth as told in a blistering fashion by George Galloway and it produced the usual weary old tired, forged documents. It could not even get the date sequence right. It was an astonishing performance but it clearly vindicated Mr....

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: I ask that it be referred to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 May 2005)

David Norris: I think I have found one.