Results 141-160 of 1,253 for speaker:John Crown

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2012)

John Crown: While listening to a radio interview the other evening I heard the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, in somewhat of a Freudian slip, refer to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform as the Minister for Howlin. I must admit that I am howling now myself about something that has been brought to my attention. At a time when we are undergoing a public service embargo,...

Seanad: Food Wastage: Motion (15 Feb 2012)

John Crown: I welcome the Minister. I am sorry if it sometimes seems like I am trying to make very profound statements from these poor, Independent, academic benches, but the Minister and his ministerial colleagues who have responsibility for energy and water policy have the most important Departments. Long after the penny drops that our future as a species is not wrapped up in things like the embassy...

Seanad: Food Wastage: Motion (15 Feb 2012)

John Crown: I was going to mention them, but as they probably intersect with the supply of water, I decided not to leave myself open on that issue. That was my first ministerial heckle; my mother will be very proud. Worldwide, the trend is towards food shortages. As has been mentioned, we have the ability to feed ourselves many times over, as well as a sizeable number of our neighbours. That puts us...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Feb 2012)

John Crown: Over the past year there has been intermittent but considerable outrage at the issue of the personal assets of people who are in debt to NAMA and in turn to the same Irish taxpayer whose health and social services are being depleted to meet the terms of our external financial requirements. It appears that has been a policy of individuals attempting to hide their wealth by transferring it to...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Feb 2012)

John Crown: -----and 100% disclosure of all donations of any level made to any political entity. This is pure and simply the way we should do it.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Feb 2012)

John Crown: I have a specific question for the Leader and I beg the indulgence of the Cathaoirleach. Pending this, will the Leader bring to the attention of the Minister for Finance this awful conundrum we see this morning whereby people gave huge amounts of money to political parties on all sides of the House and not just the party we normally associate with this type of donation.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Feb 2012)

John Crown: In the spirit of good citizenship the parties should reimburse the State any donations they received from any entity that is currently in NAMA which I believe were attempted bribes.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Feb 2012)

John Crown: What about the reimbursement of the moneys paid by NAMA creditors?

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2012)

John Crown: The Cathaoirleach should excuse me if I seem a little disoriented. When I first arrived in the Chamber I heard Senator Norris talking about the defeat of Xerxes at Thermopylae and then heard Senator O'Donovan telling us that our fish had been taken by the Pharaohs. I thought for a moment that I had strayed into a class on the classics, until I realised that he was referring to the Faroes,...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

John Crown: I am sure that other Senators have heard the sad news of the deaths this morning of Remi Ochlik and Marie Colvin, although most would probably be more familiar with her as a writer for The Sunday Times. She was well known and iconic. She lost an eye and wore an eye patch. She died violently in Syria this morning with Mr. Ochlik. They were two brave journalists who covered many conflict...

Seanad: Media Standards: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Feb 2012)

John Crown: Go raibh maith agat. At this stage the Minister must think I have some type of unrequieted hero worship for him because I stated previously that he has the most important job in the public service when he was wearing his energy hat. His role in this area is critical as well. I am asked frequently about the major side effects of the treatment we provide for the disease I deal with as part...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2012)

John Crown: I must admit that I am incandescent with rage to discover that we live in a "banana-pleanála republic", which is what we now have as a result of the catastrophic decision about the national children's hospital. I know others have raised the matter but a couple of facts must go onto the public record. There were very fine arguments to be advanced in favour of developing the Crumlin Hospital...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

John Crown: I have a feeling that this is one of those days when I should have hid in my office and not say anything because no matter what I say or do, the Bill will be passed and all I can do is lose a few friends, if I say something unpopular.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

John Crown: Working as I do in a world in which female colleagues predominate, in a specialty that will soon be female dominated in Ireland, judging by the welcome increase in the number of female medical students, I would also welcome an increase in the participation of women in the political process. It would make our political system a lot more mature and there would be much higher levels of...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

John Crown: They soon will be.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

John Crown: On a point of order, two of six consultant oncologists in St. Vincent's Hospital are female. For many years neither of the two consultants was female. There will soon be a female majority.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

John Crown: I must preface my remarks by saying that my colleague, Senator White, will be proposing an amendment to the Order of Business regarding legislation which I wish to support. I will be seconding that amendment.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

John Crown: Exactly, that is the dilemma we face. I am speaking first so we were not sure about the procedural process. I like to be a constitutional revolutionary anyway. It is worth waiting for. The Cathaoirleach will like it. Will the Leader ask the Minister for Health to schedule an urgent emergency debate on the plans of the State for dealing with the unfolding crisis in paediatric medical care,...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

John Crown: The question is whether he will please ask the Minister for Health to schedule an urgent debate so we can have an informed discussion and some input into this critical decision? I sense a disaster in the offing, in particular if they decide to amputate this hospital and put a rump children's hospital shoe-horned into the site which the architects will not find offensive to the view on Dorset...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2012)

John Crown: I confess that I am not from Mayo but my three children are half Mayo. The reason I mention this is that I am trying to use that influence with two famous Mayo parliamentarians who have proven somewhat elusive on issues on which I have sought clarification. One of them is the Taoiseach. Yet again over the weekend there was considerable speculation on the future of one half of our...