Results 481-500 of 562 for speaker:Larry Butler

Seanad: Older Persons: Statements (19 Jun 2008)

Larry Butler: We must allow older people to stay at home for as long as possible. This is the most important role we as a Government can play in ensuring that people are able to enjoy the surroundings they are used to and in which they are happy. This is where the important role of the carer comes into play. Carers play a major role in this regard. We have not yet understood the importance of carers....

Seanad: Older Persons: Statements (19 Jun 2008)

Larry Butler: In the city of Dublin we see——

Seanad: Older Persons: Statements (19 Jun 2008)

Larry Butler: There are two minutes left?

Seanad: Older Persons: Statements (19 Jun 2008)

Larry Butler: As I want to leave Senator Ormonde some time I will conclude, although I would like to have spoken for longer. We are making a major contribution in this area. Senator Mary White was right in saying we must drive the policy in this regard.

Seanad: Older Persons: Statements (19 Jun 2008)

Larry Butler: Certainly all of us in the House. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House, for listening to what we have had to say and for taking it on board.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (19 Jun 2008)

Larry Butler: I support the comments made by Senator Donohoe. The DTA is a new body coming into force. Public representation will be badly needed in that regard. How are we to get the message across in each of the four counties between Dublin City Council and the three other councils unless our public representatives represent us on that board?

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (19 Jun 2008)

Larry Butler: The Minister must take into consideration the responsibility that each council will have in that regard. There is no better way to have accountability than through the people who were elected to that council. Senator Donohoe has made a very important point. I do not want another HSE created here on a transport system. It is our responsibility, as public representatives, to ensure public...

Seanad: National Drugs Strategy: Motion (18 Jun 2008)

Larry Butler: Money will not solve the issue we are discussing this evening.

Seanad: National Drugs Strategy: Motion (18 Jun 2008)

Larry Butler: I welcome the debate, which is long overdue. I agree that it is the job of the Opposition to be critical of various things we do. However, it is important to bear in mind that we are opening up this debate to the public. We are reviewing the current strategy, which is a good thing. I attended some of the strategy meetings myself, and one aspect of the working group was to examine what is...

Seanad: Prison Building Programme: Motion. (29 May 2008)

Larry Butler: I shall be sharing time with my colleague, Senator Ned O'Sullivan, with the agreement of the House. I want to deal with work, training and education within prison. As the Government spokesman in the Seanad on the issue of drugs, I want to emphasise that it is important we have drug-free prisons. Up to now there have been major problems in establishments such as Mountjoy, so there is now a...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

Larry Butler: I want to raise the issue of the public private partnership position regarding Dublin City Council and developments proposed in recent years. It is time the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government called in the developer and the people in question regarding that development. This has been going on for four or five years. The public private partnership can play a major...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

Larry Butler: That is a reasonable proposal. We cannot change horses in mid-stream when it comes to the PPP and the council changing building regulations. That is what happened in this case. The regulations have changed in terms of bigger apartments, in some cases by 20% to 30%, and we have had the energy increases. How can we have a PPP in place and then change the regulations? The whole process is a...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

Larry Butler: I have not heard any good solid proposals from the Senator or from the Labour Party regarding housing.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

Larry Butler: When I consider that the Senator's party and the Fine Gael Party have led the city council, it is a poor reflection——

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

Larry Butler: ——on the regulations they have stood over for many years.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

Larry Butler: If I were you, Senator White, I would not be so smug. You have not delivered to the people on housing.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

Larry Butler: He has not delivered to the people on housing in Dublin city. There are 4,500 people on the housing list. I ask that this situation be expedited immediately.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

Larry Butler: Not only do I want a debate, I want the Minister to get together with Dublin City Council and the developer because I believe this problem could be sorted out. There will not be a problem if a reasonable approach to the PPP is taken. When we consider that the development of Ballymun has an overrun of €0.50 billion, it is important we get the PPPs right.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 May 2008)

Larry Butler: I join with previous speakers who wished our new Taoiseach and his Cabinet well. I congratulate my colleague, Deputy Barry Andrews, on his new position in which I am sure he will do extremely well. I wish to raise an issue with the new Minister for Finance. I ask him to examine the inflation basket. Alcohol and tobacco are currently included in it but they should not be. There should be a...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Apr 2008)

Larry Butler: I wish to raise the matter of St. Colmcille's Hospital as Senator Fitzgerald has already mentioned. There is a very serious issue there, with 16 deaths in the hospital related to this new bug, C. difficile. The microbiologist post that should have been filled some months ago has not yet been filled. The position is shared between St. Vincent's Hospital and St. Colmcille's Hospital and I do...