Results 19,721-19,740 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Mar 2004)

David Norris: They do not have a right to close down freedom of speech, which is an essential democratic principle.

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Mar 2004)

David Norris: It is a pity the concert is not going ahead because it would be an opportunity to show the city of Dublin. On the other hand, the works in O'Connell Street, which will make it a very fine street when it is finished, are not completed and there may be security problems. I did, however, have to laugh at the bregrudgery on RTE radio when somebody said it should be cancelled because it was...

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Mar 2004)

David Norris: Excuse me, this is a serious point. I raised this previously. I warned that people would be killed because of this kind of thing, and people were subsequently killed. I am serious about it. I went into a supermarket where there were four-packs available after 11 p.m. and bottles of wine. I asked if I could buy a bottle of whiskey and was told "yes". The person behind the counter was not...

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Mar 2004)

David Norris: ——-referred to payback time. RTE has made programmes coming up to an election, for example about the hepatitis C case which targeted Deputy Noonan. There was also a very interesting analytical programme about the splits within Fine Gael and so on. I was taken off the air a year before the Seanad election was even declared. Recently, although no election has been declared, there was a...

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Mar 2004)

David Norris: Could the Senator inform us which is his city? We know his church because he told us about it, and his party.

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Mar 2004)

David Norris: What about judges who refuse to impose mandatory sentences?

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Mar 2004)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Mar 2004)

David Norris: Sir Anthony to the Senator.

Seanad: Smoking Ban: Motion (31 Mar 2004)

David Norris: I welcome this excellent motion. It nails the Government's flag to the mast. It is particularly good that there is no amendment from the Opposition and that there is no attempt to play politics with this. Everyone in the House, including smokers and non-smokers, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour, the Progressive Democrats, Independents and others were behind the Minister on this. It is a very...

Seanad: Smoking Ban: Motion (31 Mar 2004)

David Norris: ——I will outline a way to avoid that, which is extraordinary. I was told by a woman who owns a travel agency that one should put a small piece of Vaseline in each nostril. I do not know whether the bugs try to fly up one's nostril and get stuck, but it stops one from getting a cold. Airlines should continue to change the air with reasonable frequency, although it is not polluted by...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Mar 2004)

David Norris: On Tuesday I condemned the action of Israel in targeting Sheikh Yassin because I felt it had breached a barrier. I call for a debate on this issue because another significant barrier has been breached with the use of a 14 year old boy stuffed with explosives as a human bomb. This is a violation of every decent human feeling. What pressure was brought to bear on that boy to allow this to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Mar 2004)

David Norris: —and Paul O'Neill have all said the war on Iraq undermined the war on terrorism. They bombed Iraq and ignored al-Qaeda. They also ignored Saudi Arabia although almost all the people involved in the bombing of the Twin Towers were Saudis and the money trail led to Saudi Arabia. What did they do? They spirited out prominent Saudi families like the bin Laden family, who are friends of the Bush...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Mar 2004)

David Norris: Yes, they did. That has been acknowledged and is on the public record — the American Administration spirited out members of the bin Laden family after 9/11. In that context I call for a debate on terrorism so we can flush this stuff out and shame Bush and his criminal associates.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

David Norris: A balance must be struck. After all, people establish industries here, promote business and can then be cheese-paring about their personal taxes. As the law stands, it is their privilege to do so. It is suggested that this should be examined. I listened to what the Minister said with interest. I also listened to someone I admire, the singer George Michael, when he was interviewed on...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

David Norris: Am I economically stupid? That will come as no great surprise to the Irish people. They can survive that shock.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

David Norris: To apply those rates? Yes, possibly, but at least the answer indicated that George Michael was prepared to pay such rates. He was very decent about the issue. There is something obscene about these enormous amounts of money. There is a distortion. This morning we debated the issue concerning widows, for example, and yesterday we heard the Minister for Finance say quite aptly in the Dáil that...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

David Norris: I wish to offer the strongest possible protest. This is a complete disgrace and an abrogation of democracy. We have a series of amendments, including the one I am most personally and passionately involved with, which we will not reach. They cannot be put down again.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

David Norris: I will ignore what the Cathaoirleach says because he is ignoring what this House is saying.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

David Norris: You are ignoring the rights of the Seanad and its function which is to examine and scrutinise amendments.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

David Norris: I am not blaming you personally, a Chathaoirligh, but it is an absolute disgrace. You should do whatever you can in this matter because you are the person charged with responsibility for the procedures of this House. Amendments have been tabled but this House is being prevented from carrying out its democratic duty of examining them. We will have no opportunity whatever——