Results 161-180 of 2,017 for speaker:Paul Bradford

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Paul Bradford: When we are debating a constitutional matter which leads to a referendum, the debate in the House should be on the issue itself. During the course of the Minister's speech, he referred to a Private Members' Bill tabled by Senator Quinn. He should have also referred to a Fine Gael Private Members' motion which called on the Government to ensure that if a referendum went ahead, it would not...

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Paul Bradford: Blame could be apportioned on all sides. It was difficult to listen to one side with the other side interrupting. It was no way to conduct a debate. The other issue that struck me during the debate on the Private Members' motion put down by Fine Gael some weeks ago and supported by the other Opposition parties but, inevitably, opposed by the Government was that while the House had to divide,...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: I concur with what my colleague and the Fine Gael Leader in the House, Senator Brian Hayes, said about the need for this House to debate the electronic voting debacle. The Leader will be aware we are soon to embark on a debate on Seanad reform but before we do that the Seanad must be relevant. The public issue of the day, the electronic voting mess, requires to be debated in this House. I...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: ——here on Friday putting in place legislation to underpin something that will not happen.

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: I would like an indication from the Leader that this House will remain relevant and not go down the cul-de-sac of Alice in Wonderland politics. I agree with those who have praised the Government's contribution to last week's accession of new countries into the European Union. Perhaps not only in the House, but throughout the country, we have not fully taken on board the significance of what...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: Not Senator Bannon.

Seanad: Development Co-operation Objectives of Irish Presidency: Statements. (12 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: I thank the Acting Chairman. The position suits him rather well.

Seanad: Development Co-operation Objectives of Irish Presidency: Statements. (12 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: This may be a vision of things to come. The Minister of State is welcome to the House. As we move towards the concluding weeks of the Irish Presidency of the EU, it is appropriate that we reflect on the efforts of the Department of Foreign Affairs and of the Minister of State to make progress on the important issue of international aid and development. It is good that Ireland is leading the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages (Resumed). (12 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: I support the amendment. I had no opportunity to address this matter on Second or Committee Stages because of time constraints but this is a sensible amendment. We must accept that the current system of counting is not simply unfair but inaccurate. It can be said with absolute certainty that since the foundation of parliamentary and local government democracy in Ireland we have used this...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages (Resumed). (12 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: And the Minister's standing.

Seanad: Middle East Conflict: Statements. (26 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the Minister of State. I hope this will be the first of a number of debates on this broad issue. The matters raised in the Minister's opening contribution are profoundly important to the European Union and to this country. The matter needs regular airing among the Members of the Seanad. Since we last debated this topic, the situation in the entire Middle East and not just in Iraq...

Seanad: Swimming Pool Projects. (26 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am disappointed the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism is not present but I understand he is attending another function. Based on my experience in the Oireachtas, I am aware of how Adjournment debates work. The reply is prepared before the debate even takes place. However, I took the trouble to fax details of the issues I wish to raise to the...

Seanad: Swimming Pool Projects. (26 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: Yes.

Seanad: Swimming Pool Projects. (26 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: This is one of the unusual cases in which a very fair commitment was made in good faith by a Minister to a committee. The only condition he laid down at that meeting was that Cork County Council had to provide written support for the project. That support was immediately forthcoming. We were advised that this was all that was required. We specifically requested the Minister to let us know...

Seanad: Swimming Pool Projects. (26 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: He assured us the application was considered valid. Another issue, of which the Minister might not have been aware, is that the scheme ended rather suddenly. It was to remain in place for two years but was shut off midway through.

Seanad: Swimming Pool Projects. (26 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: The then Minister, Deputy McDaid, was accompanied by a team of officials on the day. One member of the delegation asked him if he would assert the application's validity in writing and he stated he was quite willing to do so. I recall one of his officials stating he should not do so there and then. Caution may have been displayed by the officials but the political master, Deputy McDaid,...

Seanad: Swimming Pool Projects. (26 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: I would appreciate that very much.

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 May 2004)

Paul Bradford: I support Senator Browne and my other colleagues who called for a debate and, I hope, some progress on the electoral registration process. I have raised on a number of occasions my disappointment that at national level the Oireachtas and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government have made no effort to promote local elections and encourage people to vote. It is more than...

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jun 2004)

Paul Bradford: On a number of occasions over the past 12 months I have raised the matter of our failure to take any meaningful measures to promote the local elections and to encourage people to vote. Our local elections are only a week away. However, the Minister has compounded the problem by deciding that polling stations should close at 9 p.m. on voting day, Friday, 11 June. This is inexcusable in the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jun 2004)

Paul Bradford: Polling stations have closed previously at 10 p.m. This is a poor signal from the Government. Even at this late stage, I ask the Minister to reconsider allowing the stations to close at 10 p.m. Workers and students returning home should be allowed the extra hour for voting. If we are serious about promoting democracy, we should take the simple straightforward measure of extending the opening...