Results 181-200 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: Courts and Court Officers (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second and Subsequent Stages. (12 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach chun an Bhille seo a phlé. I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome the Bill the purpose of which is to increase by two the number of High Court judges. Currently, the maximum prescribed by law is 26 and that figure is to be increased to 28. It is obvious this amendment is being made to allow for the appointment to High Court judge of...

Seanad: Courts and Court Officers (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second and Subsequent Stages. (12 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: I was only starting, a Chathaoirligh. This area must be examined. The retirement age is another issue. A judge can continue in office to the age of 70. What is international practice in this regard? While I have no difficulty with the retirement age, court opening hours should be examined. I am aware that a great deal of work is done outside court hours by barristers and judges, but the...

Seanad: Courts and Court Officers (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second and Subsequent Stages. (12 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: I thank the Minister for coming to the House and dealing with many extraneous matters. I am sure all Senators who were here found it informative. We look forward to the Bill dealing with the public inquiries. Like other Members, I had forgotten about it. Perhaps it might have been wiser to have brought it to the Seanad first because we would probably have disposed of it by now. I congratulate...

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: I disagree with those who have called for a debate on local government development charges. The debate should be on the broader issue of local authority funding. The levies are a matter for local authority members. Levies are already being applied and there are now proposals for managers. If we favour reform and the empowerment of local councillors we must allow them to make decisions such as...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (13 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: This is an interesting amendment and is one which has been facilitated by the Minister taking a proportion of the licensing fees and making it available to assist the independent broadcasting area as a whole. I would like to concentrate on a variation of the amendment. Only certain parts of Northern Ireland receive the RTE1 and RTE2 signal. It behoves us to ensure Northern Ireland as a whole...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (13 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: I compliment the Minister, as I am sure other Senators would also, for accommodating the sensible amendments put forward. It is indicative of the constructive nature of the debates in this House that Ministers have often accepted good amendments tabled by members of the Opposition. That is a healthy position. I also compliment the Minister for his initiative in taking this step forward and...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (13 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: He recognises that.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: People listening to the contributions from the other side of the House would be forgiven for thinking they were living in a different country than the rest of us. While the arguments may be interesting political fodder, they do nothing for reasoned and enlightened debate in regard to how we manage our economy. The Labour Party presided over probably the biggest dereliction of any Government...

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: The result was that unemployment grew dramatically at a time when the rest of Europe and economies internationally were on an upward trend. We missed out on all the development which took place in the 1980s, which would have improved and enhanced the standard of living for many people long before it did in the late 1990s. One of the saddest legacies of that era was the number of young people...

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: That needs to be done. People need to be reminded that the line being promulgated here is one of irresponsible fiscal management with a total disregard for budgets, public spending and taxpayers. Ultimately, as I keep reminding Opposition colleagues on some of the councils on which I serve, the Government does not generate any money. All it has to disperse is what it takes from the taxpayer....

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: In the early years there was a great degree of pain in overcoming the tremendous hardship inflicted by the terrible Government of 1982 to 1987, to which I referred earlier.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: Through prudent fiscal and economic management we have now reached a situation undreamt of 20 years ago, and certainly undreamt of by the founding fathers of the State, where average income and GDP are well above the EU average and greater than that of our neighbour, who colonised the country for 700 years. That is a fantastic achievement and it would be an unforgivable sin if it was...

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: She added that her dead husband's occupational pension was paid to her tax free. She asked how she could be expected to vote other than for the incumbent Government and said she intended to do so. Many people followed that good advice.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: If Senators travel around and talk to people they will find that they have never been better off.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: I told the Senator—

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: The Senator will have to read The Irish Times.

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: I agree with Senator Brian Hayes's comments on the high quality of yesterday's debate on stem cell research. Many Ministers have said they experience more constructive debate in this House. Unfortunately the media are only interested if debate takes a negative line or if the subject is controversial. I agree with Senator Ryan's call for a debate on the subject of politics and the media....

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Nov 2003)

Jim Walsh: The media are correct to look for probity in public life but that attitude must apply elsewhere also. They cannot be selective in how they do this. I would like to see a debate on this serious problem. The Italian mafia grew from the resistance movement in Italy and the Eastern bloc mafia grew from the KGB. A significant element of the paramilitary republican movement is involved in this type...

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

Jim Walsh: Senators McDowell, Minihan and Mansergh have indicated that they would like to ask questions. However, I will allow Ms Ahern to reply while the questions are still fresh in her mind.

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (9 Dec 2003)

Jim Walsh: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. He referred to a point with which we all agree, that we would have welcomed even more comprehensive legislation on the legal costs of tribunals. It is unfortunate that the general Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act must be amended. It should be acknowledged that while Mr. Justice Flood was chairman of the tribunal, and he should be commended for...