Results 281-300 of 562 for speaker:Larry Butler

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: It is true that we created them.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: That is true and I would not disagree with that.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: However, we cannot afford them any more. What we could afford five or ten years ago is no longer affordable.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: I call the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism and various other Ministers whose Departments are responsible for organisations that have quadrupled in size to come to the House to consider the possibility of reducing costs. This would result in a substantial saving in the context of the budget to be introduced very soon. Senator Glynn referred to the Health Service Executive. We were told...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: When somebody says something right, I believe in supporting it. Senator Regan struck a very important note today in that regard. I appeal to the unions to take a patriotic approach to this, an approach like that to the great win on Saturday. That was a team effort. The current situation cannot be overcome unless there is a team effort. The unions could do a great service to themselves and...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: I appeal to the social partners and the unions to call off the absolute madness that is proposed. They cannot even get two thirds majority support for it in the unions. If necessary, they should be injuncted to ensure that the regulations and rules are adhered to. I have long been a supporter of the social partnership. It has been an important part of the social structure in recent years....

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: Will the Leader arrange for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, to come into the House and discuss not only the planning situation, but also the major problem in the construction industry? There is an opportunity, given that there is a new budget coming on stream, for us to do something in that regard. There are 190,000 people currently...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: The point about the high wages paid in the construction industry was very well made last night. It will have to be reviewed. The unions will have to make difficult decisions for a change.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: We are living in a very difficult environment and we cannot afford to pay exorbitant wages, which is exactly what we are paying in some sectors, including the ESB as I pointed out the other morning. It is time we looked at all these things. These are difficult decisions. I know the social partners do not like to take too many difficult decisions but, for the first time, they will have to.

Seanad: Investment of the National Pensions Reserve Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: I welcome the Minister of State. I support this vital legislation. Last October, the Government introduced the guarantee scheme which has proven to be the most important pillar put in place to support the banking system. The scheme has provided protection for the system, for depositors and those who invested in the banks. The Bill before the House is no less important than that scheme....

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: I wish to raise the issue of child care, which will become more relevant in the context of the forthcoming mini budget. The Government will have to take child care into consideration when it raises taxes. We should be honest and recognise that tax increases will have to be made. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on child care with the Minister for Health and Children. Everybody we know...

Seanad: Local Economic Initiatives: Motion (4 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank Senator Boyle and the Green Party for tabling the motion. This debate gives Senators an opportunity to discuss the important role micro-lending has played in the past 50 years. It also affords an opportunity to pay tribute to the credit union movement and individuals such as Nora Herlihy, Sean Forde and Séamus P. MacEoin who founded it...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (3 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: I support my colleagues who have called on local authorities to encourage tenants to become involved in policing boards. It is a great opportunity for Members of the Oireachtas and local authority members to get involved with local community policing. It is a step in the right direction and is probably long overdue. We have an opportunity to ensure tenants are properly vetted when local...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (3 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: In fairness to Senator O'Toole, that is true. He is quite right but the actual pay per person in the ESB is the dearest in Europe. It is not competitive enough. We should examine that matter.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (3 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: It is the only thing that Senator O'Toole did not mention. We have an opportunity to become more competitive when it comes to maintaining jobs. We are losing jobs because we cannot compete in the electricity sector and elsewhere. I also wish to call for a debate on eel fishing. While it might not be a big amount, there are probably a couple of thousand people affected in that sector who...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (3 Mar 2009)

Larry Butler: I congratulate the Minister for all he is doing concerning the ESB by using imaginative and innovative ideas to reduce costs in the long run.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage. (26 Feb 2009)

Larry Butler: Nobody likes to contribute more than he or she has to, regardless of how the economy is functioning. The Government has made the first step in making us fulfil our obligations. If one considers how other countries have been handling the downturn in their economies, it is apparent they have handled it in a way that is not very different from what we are trying to do. On the one hand we are...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage. (26 Feb 2009)

Larry Butler: I was giving an example.

Seanad: Banking Sector: Motion (25 Feb 2009)

Larry Butler: I support the amendment to the motion. Although we are experiencing difficulties and we need a solid banking system, we still have a very good economy, with 1.8 million people still at work. We have to ensure we govern the economy and we are doing so. The Opposition has tabled motions and this is a reasonably good motion that I would not have too much difficulty with. It indicates a much...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (25 Feb 2009)

Larry Butler: I am greatly heartened by the tenor in the House this morning regarding responsibility, which is taken seriously by all sides. Senator Quinn has touched on the point superbly. He has asked Members on all sides, regardless of their beliefs, to consider putting on the green jersey together and to put their shoulders to the wheel. That is what the public expects us to do. The debate has...