Results 1,921-1,940 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: University Rankings (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: I welcome much of what the Minister of State has said. I realise the rankings are based on four pillars of research, including teaching, employability and internationalisation. Clearly, an element of subjectivity is involved. The first paragraph and other parts of the Minister's response could be interpreted as having a level of complacency. We whistle past the graveyard at our peril....

Seanad: Job Creation (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: I would like to endorse everything that Senator Cullinane has said. The south east lags behind in a range of areas, including medical provisions. The unemployment situation is dire. Waterford is the capital of the region and we have seen significant unemployment rise there in recent years, with very badly targeted approaches to resolve it. Wexford continues to be a real unemployment black...

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: Does the Minister of State agree that the reduction of numbers has very little to do with the Croke Park agreement because it was already in train? Does he agree that unless there is a radical reduction in the cost of public service pay and pensions, we will find it impossible to extricate ourselves from our financial difficulty? In 2000, public service pay and pensions cost €8.6 billion....

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: This is surely what we should be doing in the current crisis rather than imposing cuts on people with disabilities and on social welfare.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: The question I am asking the Minister of State-----

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: Does he agree that the imposition of the cuts is wrong when we are re-employing people who have gone out on one and a half times their pay-----

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: They are actually coming back with their pension and their salaries. That is unfair in the current climate.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: I disagreed with the Croke Park agreement from the day it was introduced. Fine Gael agreed with me at the time and now it disagrees with me.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: Pay and pensions.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: I move that under No. 16 on the Order Paper, motion No. 6, be taken today. The motion is in the name of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin Members, as well as Senators Mullen, Quinn, van Turnhout, McAleese and Mac Conghail. When I raised this matter on the Order of Business last week, I was asked to wait to hear what the Tánaiste had to say. The motion asks the Government to convey to the Holy...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: On 20 July the Taoiseach made comments in the Dáil with regard to the Vatican frustrating inquiries over the previous three years. These comments were unfounded but were not corrected. A second issue involved a quotation attributed to the Pope which dealt with an entirely different matter relating to the vocation of the theologian but was applied in a pejorative manner to the child abuse...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: He does not have a point of order.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: This not about a visit though.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: In that case the Senator should support the motion.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: Those on the Government side do not want it to happen.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: The Leader should do the Order of Business that way.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: With regard to the Leader's response, we are aware of the protocol and have respected it in the motion we wish to put before the House. I withdrew it last week in the hope we would have all round agreement. Even at this late stage, I appeal to Members to support this uncontroversial motion.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: I apologise for interrupting the Minister of State, but I would like to know if a copy of his speech is available.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: In 1997, there were 220,000 people in the public service, including pensioners.

Seanad: Employment Rights (2 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, to the House. This motion has been prompted by the agency worker directive, which was adopted in 2008 and was to have been implemented by the end of December 2011. However, all Members recognise that the Irish economy is in a far different place now than it was in 2008. The Government has stated that jobs and...