Results 21-40 of 33,712 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Seanad: Education and Training: Motion (24 Oct 2007)

Pearse Doherty: Sinn Féin supports the introduction of free education in the North and the South. That is not the same as the free education introduced by Fianna Fáil under which registration fees have increased by 260% in the past ten years. Part-time students continue to pay fees, which is a disincentive to going through third level education. The motion brought by Fianna Fáil is merely an exercise...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (25 Oct 2007)

Pearse Doherty: Ba mhaith liom plé a dhéanamh ar dhá cheist a d'ardaigh mé anseo sa Seanad cheana. Yesterday I raised the student support Bill and the delay in students' being able to acquire grants from local authorities or VECs. I appreciate the difficult job the Leader does in trying to facilitate debates for all the requests he has received. I commend him for allocating time for some of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (25 Oct 2007)

Pearse Doherty: My question was not about student fees. For the second day in a row, I asked a direct question about the student support Bill. When will the legislation be brought before the House?

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (25 Oct 2007)

Pearse Doherty: I am not seeking a debate. I asked when the legislation would be brought.

Seanad: Housing Market: Statements (31 Oct 2007)

Pearse Doherty: I dtús báire, ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Seanadóir Norris fá choinne chuid dá am a roinnt liom. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil go leor le rá aige ar an ábhar seo agus tá mé iontach buíoch dó. Having listened intently to the Minister of State's comments, I have to say I disagree with his outlook on the Government's housing policy. It needs to change because it is...

Seanad: Witness Protection Programme Bill 2007: Second Stage (31 Oct 2007)

Pearse Doherty: Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Seanadóir Norris fá choinne chuid dá am a roinnt liom. Sinn Féin has no real problem with this Bill as the current witness protection programme is fairly ad hoc. Given the potential for wrongly handled witness protection arrangements to corrupt criminal proceedings or result in miscarriages of justice, Sinn Féin agrees this matter should...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: I agree with Senator Norris's demand for time to be given to introduce the legislation on the Order Paper which he has proposed. I also reiterate my call to have a debate on child care. For the past four weeks I have explained to this House in great detail the changes which the Government plans to introduce in the subvention scheme and the effects of those changes on community child care...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: This is a complete U-turn on the Government commitment by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, in 2003 when he said these facilities would be upgraded with increased jobs, nine of which would go to Malin Head and seven to Valentia.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: The excuses being given the management are ridiculous but——

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: In light of the debate we had yesterday on the neglect of the north west, I ask that the Minister come to the House to explain why not only Seagate, Hospira and Fruit of the Loom are pulling jobs out of Donegal but the Government is pulling jobs out of Malin Head and Valentia?

Seanad: Pre-Budget Outlook: Statements (1 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus gabhaim comhgairdeachas leis. The Government parties in their programme for Government in 2002 claimed, "We will keep the public finances in a healthy condition". Interestingly, no such commitment appears in the new programme for Government. With lower growth projected for the years ahead, the focus needs to be put on what is required to ensure the...

Seanad: Energy Security and Climate Change: Motion (7 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: Go raibh maith agat. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Seanadóir Paddy Burke a thug cead dom, agus am dom, labhairt ar seo. I support the amendment which points out the shortcomings in the Government's strategy to address the issue of climate change and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We are heavily dependent on imported oil and gas. While there is a European...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: I have sought information from the Leader on a number of occasions, but perhaps the Deputy Leader may be able to inform me on when the student support Bill will come before this House. Is it expected before the end of the year or at the start of the next term? A commitment was given to students that the Bill would be taken in early 2007 but the end of the year is now approaching. Will the...

Seanad: Food Safety: Statements (8 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Leas Aire. Food safety is a major issue and has been underlined this week by the report of the EU Food and Veterinary Office, FVO, on Brazilian beef production and the confirmation that foot and mouth disease has been discovered in Cyprus. The FVO report proves that serious irregularities and shortcomings exist on Brazilian farms and in processing plants. It also...

Seanad: Road Safety: Statements (Resumed) (14 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: Cuirim fáilte roimh an díospóireacht ar an cheist thábhachtach seo. Níl morán daoine sa tír nach bhfuil aithne acu ar dhuine a maraíodh ar na bealaí móra nó a bhí i dtimpiste. Tá sé iontach tábhachtach go bhfuilimid ag déanamh ár sheacht ndícheall aghaidh a thabhairt ar an fhadhb sin. Cuirim fáilte roimh an mhéid atá déanta ag an Road Safety Authority go dtí seo....

Seanad: Community Child Care Subvention Scheme 2008-2010: Statements (Resumed) (14 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: I am particularly pleased this debate is taking place and that I have an opportunity to speak. It is six weeks since I first raised the matter on the Order of Business. I did so on a weekly basis until there was a groundswell of support for the debate now taking place. My party has been to the fore on the issue of child care funding. I have met child care providers. Sinn Féin's health...

Seanad: Community Child Care Subvention Scheme 2008-2010: Statements (Resumed) (14 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: I have no problem with Government Deputies and Senators articulating the views of those who have first-hand experience of this sector, but if they want to support such people they should support my call for the Minister to suspend the scheme. There is no reason that cannot be done, as the scheme does not come into effect until 1 July next.

Seanad: Community Child Care Subvention Scheme 2008-2010: Statements (Resumed) (14 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: When the Minister of State, Deputy Smith, spoke about this issue last week, he claimed there has been full consultation with the child care sector. I discussed this issue directly with the Minister of State during a debate. My information is that just 11 voluntary community child care groups, from a total of more than 1,100 such groups, were consulted. That does not constitute full...

Seanad: Pension Provision: Motion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: I thank the Acting Chairman for this opportunity to record my view and that of my party on this matter. We disagree with this motion because we believe the Government is not serious about tackling the issue of pensions. It hopes the individual will provide for his or her own pension, saving the State from dealing with this crisis. It is just another example of an abdication of...

Seanad: Pension Provision: Motion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2007)

Pearse Doherty: The reason I said we opposed the motion was because we do not believe the Government, of which the Senator's party is a part, is serious about tackling the issue of pensions.