Results 161-180 of 1,253 for speaker:John Crown

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2012)

John Crown: It is extraordinarily unsatisfactory, despite my multiple entreaties. I will not play the stunt of proposing an amendment to the Order of Business to ask the Taoiseach to come to the House. However, at this stage it is essential that he come to the House. The second Mayo parliamentarian is the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy Lucinda Creighton. On a number...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

John Crown: I echo some of the comments made by my university colleague, Senator Mullen, on lobbying, an issue about which I am particularly troubled. This area requires legislation, oversight and intervention. I wish to ensure it is applied in all the areas where it will make the greatest difference. On a number of occasions since entering the House, I have had representations made to me by various...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

John Crown: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Mar 2012)

John Crown: I am sorry for getting here late. I would like to add my thoughts to those which have been expressed already about the need for Senators to be given an opportunity in the near future to discuss the strategy for higher education with the Minister for Education and Skills. Such a debate is necessary in light of this morning's disappointing news that there has been a further attrition in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Mar 2012)

John Crown: Could the Leader seek clarification from the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on several issues that were raised before and one additional issue? Is there ongoing monitoring by officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the situation of Bahraini medics, who now face their second trial having gone through a military trial, despite the Bahraini prosecutorial...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2012)

John Crown: I ask the Leader to seek clarification from the Minister for Health on an issue I alluded to previously but which is becoming more acute, namely, whether there has been a change in the process for deciding what anti-cancer drugs will be made available through the health service. Good research shows that countries which underspend on cancer drugs have inferior cancer outcomes. A famous study...

Seanad: Report of Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments: Statements (24 Apr 2012)

John Crown: One might say that I speak as both an insider and outsider in terms of the political process. Like my colleague, Senator Rónán Mullen, I am an Independent Member and not associated with any political party. I have come in middle age to this part of my career with an outsider's perspective, which is the position from which I will make certain observations. The reality is that there is a...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 May 2012)

John Crown: With the House's blessing, I propose an amendment to the Order of Business so that No. 15 can be taken before No. 1.

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: First Stage (3 May 2012)

John Crown: I move: That leave be given to introduce Bill entitled an Act to amend the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002 in order to prohibit the smoking of tobacco products in vehicles where children are present and to provide for the investigation and prosecution of such offences by members of An Garda Síochána.

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: First Stage (3 May 2012)

John Crown: On Wednesday, 9 May 2012.

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Order for Second Stage (9 May 2012)

John Crown: I move: "That Second Stage be taken today."

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Second Stage (9 May 2012)

John Crown: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the Minister to the House. I extend my gratitude to my colleagues across the House for their support in allowing this Bill get to this Stage today. I thank also my fellow Senators Jillian van Turnhout and Mark Daly who joined me in advancing this Bill and were extremely important in getting it to this Stage. The Protection of...

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Second Stage (9 May 2012)

John Crown: I do not intend to ban them.

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Second Stage (9 May 2012)

John Crown: I express my overwhelming sense of gratitude to my Seanad colleagues for their support for this legislation. In particular, I thank Senators Jillian van Turnhout and Mark Daly for helping to draft it and bring it to this stage. I thank the Seanad for the quality of the debate, the high level of information provided and the attention given to it. I also thank the parliamentary parties. I...

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Second Stage (9 May 2012)

John Crown: In view of the Minister's statement about the need to engage in consultation and consider the European technical standards directive, we propose that Committee Stage be taken on Wednesday, 6 June. That will be D-Day.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (10 May 2012)

John Crown: I strongly support Senator Barrett's amendment. Having worked on the fringe and, in recent years, directly in the academic medical and academic scientific sectors for the past 19 years, I have a certain perspective on this matter. It is that we have not supported the sector well and that any deficiencies that exist within the sector cry out for reform of the way we organise, fund and...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2012)

John Crown: I would like the Deputy Leader to seek clarification from the Minister for Health on two issues, the first of which relates to an emerging policy of public patients being stripped of their choice of public hospital. That is occurring in this country. It has serious implications for many citizens who would like aspects of their care to be provided in hospitals other than those geographically...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

John Crown: On this happy day, 24 hours after President Obama in the White House publicly announced to the world that he was honouring Robbie Keane for being the Republic of Ireland's leading scorer, I would like to ask the Deputy Leader to bring to the attention of the relevant Minister during this, the year of science, that there are two other Irish people who, I believe, deserve recognition. One of...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

John Crown: The second item I would like the Deputy Leader to bring to the attention of the Minister for Health and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, and to any of my Seanad colleagues who may be from Cavan, is that there is another wholly unsung heroine of Irish science, Dr. Mary Patricia Cole, born in Cavan and educated in Carrickfergus, Portrush, Coleraine High School, Methodist...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 May 2012)

John Crown: There has been considerable discussion here and elsewhere over the past several days about the disclosure that various senior staff in the public service had been re-hired following their retirements. Much of the discussion is focused on the appropriateness of this practice, the potential waste, and there has been a focus on the degree of compensation for people whose new temporary salaries...