Results 221-240 of 562 for speaker:Larry Butler

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: I brought to the attention of the House the other night the cost of the press and various organisations that are based here, namely, national and multinational newspapers. We are paying €500,000 for the privilege of having these people in the House working with us. The national newspapers, RTE and various other organisations that are based in this House are here at the taxpayers' expense....

Seanad: OECD and IMF Reports: Statements (10 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: It is important to debate issues like the IMF report and the economy in general. The IMF has focused our minds on what we have to do in the next budget. It has made it clear that the Government is doing the right thing and has the right policies. The IMF has said that NAMA is the right vehicle for doing the job that is needed in the banking and finance sectors. It is important that a body...

Seanad: OECD and IMF Reports: Statements (10 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: I did not use any names. I referred to "the previous speaker". It is important to acknowledge the grave situation of those who are unemployed. Over the next three years, we need to give them some sort of hope for the future. The way forward involves looking after such people as best we can, for example by making supplementary welfare payments. It is even more important to get them into...

Seanad: OECD and IMF Reports: Statements (10 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: Bank of Ireland's share price, which went as low as 55 cent, has increased to almost €1.50. I admit there has been a substantial increase in paper profit. I have examined the IMF report and read all of the important priorities dealt with in it. We are dealing with those priorities in a professional manner, as we should. It is important to have the support of people on the other side of...

Seanad: Telecommunications Services: Motion (8 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: I welcome the Minister to the House and congratulate him on the way he has mastered his brief in this regard. He is certainly moving in the right direction in terms of the different types of broadband that will come on stream in coming years. That will be evident within the next five years. We will see a major increase in the speeds and the designs of the new technology to come. There has...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (7 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: I condemn the strike by electricians, specifically the approach taken by the Technical, Engineering and Electrical Union, TEEU. This strike may potentially do more damage to the economy than that caused by the banking crisis. It will put thousands of people out of work in the construction business because no members of allied trades can enter major sites. If this matter is not resolved...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (7 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: The contractors do not have the money to pay.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (7 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: I plead with the Leader to ensure that, following the Order of Business, the Minister intervenes as quickly as possible to get both sides around a table. This is of vital importance.

Seanad: Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009: Second Stage (7 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: I welcome the Bill. It is important we recognise that we have a difficult economy which has been ailing for the past 12 months. We are now responding to the private sector, which has taken very substantial pay cuts of between 15% and 25%. This Bill makes a statement to the 400,000 people who are unemployed to the effect that we understand what they are going through and will reduce our...

Seanad: Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009: Second Stage (7 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: They are probably in bed.

Seanad: Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009: Second Stage (7 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: The House is adjourned until tomorrow at 10.30 a.m.

Seanad: Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009: Second Stage (7 Jul 2009)

Larry Butler: Tomorrow.

Seanad: Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Second Stage (25 Jun 2009)

Larry Butler: The Bill deals with pensions, direct debit mandates, institutions, non-commercial State bodies and the National Pensions Reserve Fund. I cannot let some of the things mentioned by previous speakers go unchallenged. I heard Senator Bacik mention that we should have allowed Anglo Irish Bank to go. Every Member of the House has a responsibility to the taxpayer. We need to make decisions in...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2009)

Larry Butler: I call for a debate on education, which would be timely. The teaching of English to foreign students is making a fine contribution to the country. We could certainly increase the number of foreign students coming here as it is worth approximately €800 million to the country. For example, Britain and New Zealand have increased the number of foreign students going to those countries to...

Seanad: Financial Services (Deposit Guarantee Scheme) Bill 2009: Second Stage (18 Jun 2009)

Larry Butler: I support the Financial Services (Deposit Guarantee Scheme) Bill 2009 which complements important legislation enacted some time ago, the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act 2008. The Government's speedy intervention in introducing the latter Bill late last year may have saved the entire Irish banking system and prevented a major run on the banks. A collapse of the banking system...

Seanad: Information and Communications Technologies: Motion (17 Jun 2009)

Larry Butler: I wish to stay away as much as possible from my colleague's contribution. We must consider the new sustainable energy available in the country which is vital. I refer also to the smart economy document because it was not sufficiently publicised or talked about in the media but it is probably the most important document since Seán Lemass's contribution to the country. I recognise Senator...

Seanad: Elections of June 2009: Statements (11 Jun 2009)

Larry Butler: I will not go down the road taken by other speakers on this issue. We know what the people have said in the election. We must adjudicate on what people have said to us and decide how we will react and structure the direction of Government for the next three years. Senator O'Toole has touched briefly on one of the key issues for the running of the country for the next three years, the...

Seanad: Elections of June 2009: Statements (11 Jun 2009)

Larry Butler: At 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 16 June 2009.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jun 2009)

Larry Butler: I wish to deal with a matter which we are all concerned about in this House, namely fixed rate mortgages. I draw the Leader's attention to the importance of the Minister for Finance coming before the House on this matter, and I have a proposal on how the matter could be dealt with. In the long term, this will create a major problem for mortgage holders in the country, who are at an all-time...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008: Second Stage (10 Jun 2009)

Larry Butler: I wish to share time with Senator Ó Murchú.