Results 321-340 of 605 for speaker:John Whelan

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2013)

John Whelan: The Seanad should have a debate and discourse with the Minister or Minister of State to allow Senators to feed into the policy directive on the control of and guidance pertaining to the development of new wind farms. Community interests and concerns are not being adequately taken into account and must be considered.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2013)

John Whelan: I was a journalist for 30 years before becoming directly involved in politics. There is mounting concern and anxiety throughout media and journalistic circles about the consolidation and virtual monopoly that is developing in the Irish media. Almost every leading title and radio station in the country is now in the ownership of one company and is effectively under the control of one man....

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: What about the church's role?

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: What about the church's role?

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: Let me finish on this point. It would be damaging to the Government, the country and democracy if we were to go down the road taken in Bulgaria - the Bulgarian Government has resigned en masse- or Greece in which there are ongoing national strikes by public sector workers. I am imploring the Government, particularly the two Ministers involved, to re-engage with the trade union leaders who...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: It would be remiss of me not to raise the issue to which I am about to refer. Two years ago I was fortunate to be elected from the labour panel in order that I might represent workers' interests. I come from Portlaoise which is home to the country's two largest high security prisons. In that context, I register my dismay at the manner in which workers who are members of the 24/7 Frontline...

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (13 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: I welcome the Minister to the House. I am grateful for him coming to the House to take this motion in person because it is an important matter. I wholeheartedly support the spirit of the motion and I know Senator O'Donnell is genuine in her concerns and those concerns are not to be dismissed or taken lightly. I would like to be able to vote in favour of the motion but as the expression...

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (13 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: My understanding is that we should build the hospital anyway. The funding is already embedded within the national lottery process in that it generate funds on an annual basis. The Minister asked Senator van Turnhout where she would get the money but normally these projects are not paid for up front, they are paid for over a 20 year period.

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (13 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: I see nothing wrong with that. Rather than having a dedicated lottery for the hospital, the State should continue to run the national lottery. There is not a citizen in the State who would mind the Government parking the good causes for however many years to say all the money generated by the lottery-----

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (13 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: We will come to that in a second. I have no ideological objection to this because we should make sensible decisions rather than getting hung up on who runs what and who owns what but we have precedent in this area, where a previous Government, with the best intentions I am sure, privatised Eircom on behalf of the State and it turned out to be a get rich quick scheme where everyone was...

Seanad: National Lottery: Motion (13 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: Therefore we should re-examine the essential privatisation of the national lottery. The same pitfalls are embedded in this legislation. I also fear there is an element of not wasting a good crisis. Some people have an interest in selling off State assets like the lottery and Coillte. It is short sighted and should be revisited. If we look at where we turned to the private sector in terms...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Phil Prendergast, MEP. (13 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: On a point of order, is the session scheduled to continue until 1.45 p.m.?

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Phil Prendergast, MEP. (13 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: In that case, there is no major rush.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Phil Prendergast, MEP. (13 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: How much time do I have?

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Phil Prendergast, MEP. (13 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: I was merely seeking clarification. I welcome Ms Prendergast, MEP, and am grateful she chose to address the important issue of the Single Market. For too long, and especially in recent years, policy has tended to focus on macroeconomic strategy and banking stability. I am grateful, therefore, that Ms Prendergast has returned the focus to people and raised the requirement to have a more...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Private Security Licensing Fee (7 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: I thank the Minister of State for attending and answering my question. I also thank the Minister for a thorough and sympathetic response. I detected a chink of light in his response. I am optimistic that the review is meaningful and will recognise the particular hardship imposed on smaller contractors. I hope that when the review reaches its conclusion that it will revise the licensing...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Private Security Licensing Fee (7 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: I will be prompt as I am aware that there are urgent and pressing matters awaiting in the form of an imminent announcement in the Dáil about the deal on the Anglo Irish Bank promissory note. My question to the Minister of State is straightforward. As the Minister of State is aware, last October the Private Security Authority, PSA, under a ministerial statutory instrument, initiated a new...

Seanad: Garda Resources: Motion (6 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: I appreciate the decision of the Minister, Deputy Shatter, to come here today. I realise that he has a great deal of responsibility on his plate. I think it is important that he is present to hear our concerns and views at first hand. The House has to be grateful to the Minister for giving such a thorough and comprehensive response to this Private Members' motion. Having said that, it is...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: Most days when one comes to work here one is glad and proud to be Irish. Unfortunately, however, yesterday was not one of those days. The day was punctuated by the McAleese report, which is an indictment of not just politics, politicians and Governments but also society in general. It goes to show that we should not always run with the conventional wisdom or herd mentality of the day about...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Feb 2013)

John Whelan: Will the Leader see if it is possible for the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to come before the House at the earliest opportunity? We need to debate the issue of wind energy before any legislation on the matter is considered. When the Minister addressed the European Wind Energy Association conference in Vienna yesterday as part of Ireland's Presidency of the EU,...