Results 61-80 of 4,849 for speaker:Diarmuid Wilson

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I make no apologies for pleading for decentralisation on behalf of County Cavan. Building on the positive experience derived from participation in the Government's first decentralisation programme in 1989-90, which the coalition Government under Garret FitzGerald tried to sabotage—

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: When Fianna Fáil returned to Government, it fulfilled its promise and brought 120 civil servants to Cavan. We make no apologies for that. I urge the Government to include Cavan among the centres to be selected for the forthcoming decentralisation programme. A number of factors underpin this request. Cavan occupies a strategic position on the corridor linking Dublin to Enniskillen and...

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the Minister to the House. I am proud to stand beside him and robustly defend his and the Government's record on education. After all, we are the real Labour Party. (Interruptions).

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Overall funding is up 94% in the last five years. We are now spending €5.6 billion each year on education and that figure is increasing. We have considerably increased the amount of money for the capital programmes and right across the board the Government has put considerable resources into education. Many young people have now come through good primary and secondary education and seek...

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Is it right that the children of the more than 50,000 people who earn in excess of €100 million per year— (Interruptions).

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: —and those of the substantial number of people who earn over €200,000 per annum should benefit from free fees, when families in communities in which participation in third level is 5% or less receive nothing? No, it is not. The leader of the champions of the upper middle classes and multimillionaires, Deputy Rabbitte, believes in universal access to third level education.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: What does Deputy Rabbitte mean by "universal access"? In my opinion, this includes all people, regardless of their incomes. Is that just?

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I believe it is not. This evening, Deputy Rabbitte said that bus drivers, Eircom workers, road workers, factory workers and shop assistants will all have to pay fees.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: It is utter and absolute rubbish.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: It has been made clear by the Taoiseach and the Minister that it is utter rubbish.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Fine Gael has no idea what is going on. Its members are having autopsy after autopsy as a result of their lack of imagination during the general election campaign, yet they have the audacity to mention the opinion polls here. That is a disgrace.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I know the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Dempsey, and I trust him. He is a man of substance and vision. He has a social conscience and I know that he will do nothing to hurt the ordinary citizen of this country—

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: —and I am proud to say that I support his review of the system.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Had I had enough time, I would have discussed it.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: That could be— (Interruptions).

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the Minister of State and congratulate him and the Minister, Deputy Brennan, on the excellent work they are doing in the Department of Transport. I congratulate my colleague, Senator Morrisey, and his colleagues in the Progressive Democrats for putting down this motion, with which I fully agree. As a Cavan man working in Dublin for the past year, I have been struck by the enormity...

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: The Railway Procurement Agency is in the process of developing an integrated ticketing system. In two years' time, the present bus, train and DART tickets could be replaced by a single smart card, covering all types of public transport.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Will be.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: How will the system work? In one short walk from one's house, one will take, say, the metro into town, switch to the Luas, stop for a cup of coffee or a pint, switch to the bus and so on to the end of one's journey – all on one ticket. If the system takes off, Dublin should become a lot safer, cleaner and less congested. We will then have a fully integrated city, with a fully mobile...

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Will the country's prosperity and the Government's commitment last another fourteen years? Yes, it will. That, in short, is the answer to the €22 billion question. By 2016, there could be 1.75 million people using Dublin's roads. With any luck, most of them will not be driving cars.