Results 321-340 of 349 for speaker:Tom Morrissey

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Feb 2003)

Tom Morrissey: Like Eircom shareholders.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Courthall Child Psychiatric Unit. (13 Feb 2003)

Tom Morrissey: I welcome the Minister of State. This is an issue for the Department of Health and Children regarding an eight bed child psychiatric unit in Hollystown. I understand there are some difficulties with its location. When they were dividing up the geographic lands for which the new area health boards would have responsibility some years ago, there was a question mark over whether the unit would...

Seanad: Immigration Bill 2002: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (4 Feb 2003)

Tom Morrissey: This amendment, like the previous amendment, proposes to extend the length of time to 21 days, which could be four working weeks. Given that we are surely not expecting people to make excuses about Saturdays and Sundays, I take it the Senator means four working weeks. Again, I cannot understand why somebody would have to wait that length of time to furnish an excuse. If the person is invoking...

Seanad: Immigration Bill 2002: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (4 Feb 2003)

Tom Morrissey: I sincerely thank the Minister for the time he has invested in the debate on the Bill and Opposition Members for the amendments they tabled, which allowed the House discuss a broad range of issues. In light of the amendments that have been accepted, the system will be streamlined and not as costly as heretofore.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Hospital Services. (4 Feb 2003)

Tom Morrissey: Prior to the Christmas recess I tabled a similar motion about the conditions obtaining in unit nine of James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown. At that time, I was informed in the reply that a new wing was being built and that unit nine would be accommodated within the new building. We were also told that the Inspector of Mental Hospitals considered unit nine as an inappropriate...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Hospital Services. (4 Feb 2003)

Tom Morrissey: I thank the Minister of State. The Seanad adjourned at 5.25 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 5 February 2003.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - MRSA Prevalence in Hospitals. (30 Jan 2003)

Tom Morrissey: I welcome the Minister of State. I raised this motion on the Adjournment because I became aware of this problem with MRSA recently when a person I know suffered from it. I understand that it is quite prevalent in hospitals and is an ongoing concern within hospitals countrywide. The source of it is hard to understand, but the recuperating process for patients who get this bug is quite serious....

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jan 2003)

Tom Morrissey: As an employer who has employed permit holders, I would be delighted to see this provision included in the Bill. I am only too well aware of employers who have exploited this system and agents who seek permits under false pretences. Those permits are then sold on, thereby duping innocent people – if they can be called that – entering this country. There is a huge trade in permits. I...

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jan 2003)

Tom Morrissey: I am shocked by this amendment. The State is being more than accommodating in dealing with this problem. If somebody is seeking asylum, it is in their interest, and those of the State and taxpayers, that we have an efficient system for doing so. The Minister has described travel and overnight accommodation arrangements. What more can any Department or country do to expedite this matter? The...

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jan 2003)

Tom Morrissey: I oppose this amendment. If it was approved, it would effectively enable people to play cat and mouse with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and lead to a never – ending circle. The Minister outlined the exorbitant number of applications withdrawn, that go missing or fail to materialise on even a second occasion. If we oblige the Minister to find addresses – people...

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jan 2003)

Tom Morrissey: If one is to bring this to its logical conclusion the taxpayer is going to pay out €90 million instead of €45 million. There will be twice as many non-shows as the Minister has already indicated. I am delighted this Minister is here today and that we do not have the Minister we had in 1996 framing this legislation. Amendment to amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jan 2003)

Tom Morrissey: The Senator is asking to extend the time limit, but surely we should be seeking to reduce the length of time. I am sure the applicant will be in the country and the circumstances for the applicant making an appeal are not going to change. I do not understand why they could not make that appeal within ten days. I doubt the value of increasing the period to two months. I do not understand the...

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jan 2003)

Tom Morrissey: Legal precedent holds that one has seven days to reply from when a letter is sent, not seven days from when one receives a letter. Amendment to amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Mental Health Services. (10 Dec 2002)

Tom Morrissey: The reason I have tabled this matter for discussion on the Adjournment is that I have received representations about a particular case in a psychiatric unit in James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown. While everybody will acknowledge that a great deal of money has been spent on hospital services over the last five years, little has been spent on providing security for front line...

Seanad: Budget Statement: Motion. (4 Dec 2002)

Tom Morrissey: I second this motion and I welcome the Minister of State to the House on the occasion of the first budget of this Government's second term in office. This prudent budget manages the Government finances, while assisting the less well-off in terms of increases in the old age pension, child benefit and other social welfare provisions. When today's increases are added to the increases of the last...

Seanad: Budget Statement: Motion. (4 Dec 2002)

Tom Morrissey: We can see today that the grant was not all that it was purported to be, as it benefited only 10,000 people. Today's measures to assist first-time buyers, however, will be of benefit to everybody.

Seanad: Budget Statement: Motion. (4 Dec 2002)

Tom Morrissey: The first-time buyer's grant cost the Exchequer about €37 million, but the new measures to help first-time buyers will cost more than double that amount – approximately €78 million over a certain period. The Minister's new provisions provide the answer to the difficulties faced by first-time buyers, each of whom will benefit.

Seanad: Budget Statement: Motion. (4 Dec 2002)

Tom Morrissey: Under the previous regime, only 10,000 of the 46,000 first-time buyers benefited each year.

Seanad: Budget Statement: Motion. (4 Dec 2002)

Tom Morrissey: Today's budget is a sound budget and I welcome it. It has secured the tax reductions of recent years. There have been no increases in taxation today.

Seanad: Budget Statement: Motion. (4 Dec 2002)

Tom Morrissey: Employees' entry point to the income tax system has been increased to a level which is 90% of the minimum wage, representing a huge improvement on the figure some years ago. In 1997, a person entered the tax net at €98 but that figure is €209 now, which is an increase of over 100%. We have looked after personal tax rates, very important business tax rates, first-time buyers, social...