Results 161-180 of 194 for speaker:Don Lydon

Seanad: Address by President of the European Parliament. (27 Nov 2003)

Don Lydon: It is always enlightening to hear the President speak, but it is also a great pleasure. I am not sure if I should wish him well in the election next year because I hope he will move from being President of the Parliament to President of the Commission. Unlike some colleagues, I believe we will have a European defence force. How does the President see that developing and how soon will it emerge?

Seanad: Address by Ms Nuala Ahern, MEP. (27 Nov 2003)

Don Lydon: I welcome Ms Ahern to the Seanad. It is always a pleasure to welcome a psychologist to the House. I had the very great honour of serving on a local authority with her late father for a number of years. He was a remarkable man and one of the finest people I ever met. We will not get into the stem cell research debate. The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment had a very...

Seanad: Overseas Development Aid: Motion. (26 Nov 2003)

Don Lydon: I second the motion and I too look forward to the Minister's speech. A sum of €399 million has been allocated for international co-operation under our aid budget for 2004. This represents the highest allocation ever and an increase of €25 million over that for 2003. There have been increases every year since 1997, when the allocation was just €117 million, but they have been...

Seanad: Stem Cell Research: Statements. (19 Nov 2003)

Don Lydon: There seems to be some confusion about the two issues involved here. The first issue concerns regulation and legislation and this is something we should discuss. In this regard I welcome the Tánaiste and ask her to use her office to bring in some legislation in this area. If it is not correct at first we can amend it, but please let us have some regulation. The second issue concerns stem...

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (6 Nov 2003)

Don Lydon: If one opens a map of Europe and puts a finger down the middle, somewhere between the top of Norway and Malta, and half way between the Urals and the Twelve Pins, it will land in Prague, the centre of Europe. It is wonderful to see countries like the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic coming together into the European Union. Ireland was always on the periphery and I always imagined the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Nov 2003)

Don Lydon: I asked about a week ago for a debate on stem cell research in view of the vote to be taken on 27 November. An Oireachtas committee has just rejected the proposal in question. It is important the House has a chance to debate the matter because civil servants have just told us that Ireland will vote to destroy human embryos if this vote goes ahead. A good end is never justified by evil means....

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Nov 2003)

Don Lydon: I have been speaking to the civil servants.

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Nov 2003)

Don Lydon: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Humanitarian Issues in Post-War Iraq: Statements. (4 Nov 2003)

Don Lydon: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, to the House. He is doing a fine job and it is recognised by all sides of the House. It is important to go back to the invasion by Iraq of its non-threatening neighbour Kuwait. The Iraqis claimed that it belonged to Iraq at one time. Whether it did is neither here nor there because it was an act of blatant aggression against a non-threatening...

Seanad: European Convention/Intergovernmental Conference: Statements. (22 Oct 2003)

Don Lydon: I must repeat what other Members said as it happens to be true: we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the people who negotiated this treaty on our behalf. I listened to Proinsias De Rossa, Deputy John Bruton and the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, time and again and found them to be really impressive. As Senator Ryan said, if any man was suited to the job, it was the Minister of State...

Seanad: European Convention/Intergovernmental Conference: Statements. (22 Oct 2003)

Don Lydon: If we had the same God, he was on all sides. It should be possible to agree on a wording. I got a booklet from the Department of Foreign Affairs which states that the protocols would be considered at the Intergovernmental Conference, one of which protects Article 43.3 of the Constitution. Will the Minister of State clarify whether this will be considered or included? I see a great difficulty...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Oct 2003)

Don Lydon: I ask the Leader for a debate on stem cell and embryo research. As I understand it, there is currently no legislation governing the area, although I believe that Senator Henry tried to introduce a Bill on it some time ago. It is an exciting area, which I understand shows great possibilities for the eradication of illness and disease. It is also frightening and has implications in the...

Seanad: Humanitarian Issues in Post-War Iraq: Statements. (11 Jun 2003)

Don Lydon: I have never been to Iraq, but most of the Iraqis I have met were decent, intelligent people. We must ask ourselves why we should send aid to Iraq. It is a country with vast oil reserves – currently 100 billion barrels, according to the Minister of State. Senator Bradford said that Iraq was, until the time of Saddam Hussein, a country with an ordinary government at local and national level....

Seanad: Humanitarian Issues in Post-War Iraq: Statements. (11 Jun 2003)

Don Lydon: The invasion was not sanctioned by the UN. I will say something else that people might not like. The invasion was necessary in order to topple the dictator Saddam Hussein. He slaughtered thousands of his own people. He gassed the Kurds. We were given a huge amount of disinformation by the intelligence services of both Britain and the US. We were told that weapons of mass destruction would be...

Seanad: Humanitarian Issues in Post-War Iraq: Statements. (11 Jun 2003)

Don Lydon: Anybody who has read the Ireland Aid programme and seen the work done by the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, will observe that we have a proud programme. We have done the best we can with the resources available and aid distributed wisely and fairly. Most of the aid we send reaches where it is supposed to go and achieves what is intended for it. The current Minister of State is interested...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (10 Jun 2003)

Don Lydon: I congratulate the team we sent to the Convention on the Future of Europe. Deputy Roche has proved to be a superb Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs. He has done a wonderful job. So too have Proinsias De Rossa and Deputy John Bruton, both of whom I listened to with great interest when they spoke in this House. When finalised, this document should be read by every Irish...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Mar 2003)

Don Lydon: I support Senator Norris's call for a debate on Iraq. This invasion of another country is illegal, immoral and unjust and I can think of nothing more obscene than the spending of $75 billion on destruction and mayhem.

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Mar 2003)

Don Lydon: When our democracy was being formed, we had a number of assassinations which served only to highlight hatred that continued for many years. Similarly the assassination of the Serbian Prime Minister is a terrible crime. Although it may not be in order to stand as a mark of respect at the end of the Order of Business, the Seanad should send a message of sympathy to the Serbian people as they...

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Mar 2003)

Don Lydon: Like Senator Ryan, I call for an urgent debate on the Middle East, particularly Palestine and Israel. The Palestinians have been subjected to a process for many decades that will result in their extermination if it is not stopped. I know the Israelis live in constant fear of suicide bombings, but Israel has one of the most right-wing governments in the world and nobody is doing anything about...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (26 Feb 2003)

Don Lydon: Deputy Bruton floated the idea of a preamble to the proposed constitution which would include God. Is this likely to happen?