Results 1-20 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Seanad: Statute Law (Restatement) Bill, 2000 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Hanafin: Tá áthas orm bheith ar ais sa Teach. Over 12 months ago I had the pleasure of bringing this Bill before the Seanad. Since then some amendments have been made by the Dáil. All of the amendments are of a technical nature and none made any material alteration to the substance of the Bill as passed by this House. The amendments of substance were recommended and accepted in this House when the...

Seanad: Statute Law (Restatement) Bill, 2000 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Hanafin: I thank Senators for their courtesy and welcome, especially the personal welcome of Senator Hanafin. The Bill was substantially amended in this House. Over the past couple of years it has been my privilege to spend a considerable time in the Seanad debating important legislation. I do not know if my current role will facilitate that in the future but I look forward to any time I might spend here.

Seanad: Statute Law (Restatement) Bill, 2000 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Hanafin: When Senator Mansergh referred to the philosopher's stone I am glad he went on to mention Napoleon and not Harry Potter. I wish you, Sir, the best in your distinguished role and I thank the Seanad for its consideration of the Bill. Question put and agreed to. Bill passed.

Presidential Appointments: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I move: That Dáil Éireann recommends Mr. Seán Ó Cuirreáin for appointment by the President to be An Coimisinéir Teanga.

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I was here. Was the Deputy here?

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy has got it in one.

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann: — notes: — the continuing commitment of the Government to engage constructively with all the parties in the Dáil on ways in which the conduct of business can be further improved; — that valuable Dáil time is wasted on procedural wrangling and recognises the need for a constructive...

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I am somewhat surprised that Fine Gael has chosen to spend its Private Members' time discussing one small element of Dáil reform, given that there exists a sub-committee of the House where agreement can be reached among the Whips and the various parties. The reason is that we have to work together as a Parliament. We need to reach a flexible framework within which we can work together and...

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: We will focus not only on the item Fine Gael has put forward because we want this to be a Parliament of the people. We want to bring forward proposals which will bring order, flexibility and improve the way in which we do business because that is what we on the Government side want to achieve. Unfortunately, in this debate Fine Gael is fixated on one issue——

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: ——that of ensuring the Taoiseach is in this House on Thursdays. If that is the only contribution Fine Gael can make to Dáil reform or the only topic it can find to discuss in its three hours of Private Members' time, one would have to question the relevance of the party, if not the relevance of that issue. It proves to me that Fine Gael has no alternative policies to offer on issues such...

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The motion is that the Taoiseach should be here on Thursdays, but I will tell the Deputy where he will be on the forthcoming Thursdays. This Thursday he will be in Rome, the following Thursday he will be in Northern Ireland and the following Thursday he will meet the Prime Minister of Macedonia and European Commissioner Barnier.

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Let me highlight the hypocrisy of this debate on Dáil business and on the presence of leaders in this House. Last week we issued a schedule for this Friday to discuss the Mahon tribunal and the Nally report. However, at the special request of Fine Gael because Deputy Kenny has an important meeting in Lisbon——

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: ——Friday's Dáil business has been cancelled. The Dáil cannot sit on Friday because Deputy Kenny will be in Lisbon, but the Dáil will sit on Thursday while the Taoiseach is in Rome.

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Deputy Kenny wants the Taoiseach to be in this House to answer questions to him on Thursday but the Dáil cannot sit on Friday because he will not be here.

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: That just shows the level of hypocrisy there is in this regard. However, the business of this House will continue.

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I was more than happy to oblige Deputy Kenny but there is a certain irony about the fact that on the same week he requires the Taoiseach to be here on a Thursday he will not be here on the Friday when Government business was to be discussed.

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: However, important business will continue on Thursday and the Finance Bill will be passed on Second Stage.

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The Taoiseach is entitled to his time and to progress the European Presidency, a role which the public recognise is bringing great prestige not only to him or the Government but to the country. That has also been recognised by the International Herald Tribune. It has recognised the Taoiseach's ability to do the job he is doing and one of its editorials states, "For all this, Ahern is the...

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: To follow up on what Deputy Timmins said, the Taoiseach is not only more accountable to this House than any previous Taoiseach——

Standing Orders: Motion. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Hanafin: ——but also, as he correctly pointed out, than any other European leader. It is only since February 2001 on foot of an initiative of this Government that the notion of Leaders' Questions was introduced, allowing an important opportunity for topical issues to be raised in the Dáil every Tuesday and Wednesday.