Results 161-180 of 2,725 for speaker:Noel Coonan

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: "(2) Within 10 days of the commencement of this section, the Minister, following consultation with the Minister for Finance shall lay a Report before both Houses of the Oireachtas indicating the grounds in favour of reducing the percentage payable in subsection (1) to 50%.".

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: There is a precedent for this amendment in that previous proposed legislation by a former Minister for Agriculture and Food allowed for a 50% write-off of annuities. We all want to make the Bill more attractive. The Government is putting forward a lesser proposal than on the previous occasion, which did not prove successful and was not taken up by the desired amount of farmers. The Bill...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: In the context of today's land values, the Senator's comments are amazing. Much of the land has decreased significantly in value and many farms have been withdrawn from sale in the past 12 months because nobody wants to buy them. Unless one is a big business person, looking for a holiday home or wants to get into farming as a pastime——

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I did not interrupt the Senator so he should allow me the floor.

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I am amazed when I hear what people such as the Minister and Senator Callanan say about this matter. They are far removed from the reality of what is happening in agriculture with the ordinary farmer. The land is worth nothing to the ordinary farmer if he is to continue as a farmer. He farms the land and its value is handed down from one generation to another. To the majority of farmers I...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I support Senator McCarthy and am surprised the Minister is not accepting these amendments. Ministers, by and large, like to give the impression to farmers that it is they who are providing money. If the amendments were made, the Minister would get the credit rather than the Department. From that point of view, I find it surprising the Minister is not in favour.

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I thank the Minister and her officials for coming to the House and compliment them on the manner in which they dealt with the legislation before us. My regret is that what will be very good legislation could have been great had the Minister accepted our amendments. I remind the Minister that we will watch carefully to ensure she honours the commitments she has given us that the Department...

Seanad: Garda Recruitment: Motion. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: It was not Roscommon.

Seanad: Veterinary Practice Bill 2004: Second Stage. (4 Nov 2004)

Noel Coonan: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. She is certainly keeping us busy.

Seanad: Veterinary Practice Bill 2004: Second Stage. (4 Nov 2004)

Noel Coonan: She has introduced two Bills in less than two months and she is correct that this Bill is long and detailed. I welcome the use of the phrase "Veterinary Practice" in the title of the Bill, instead of "Veterinary Surgeons", as used in the titles of previous Bills. This recognises the expanding nature of the profession and those who are employed in this area. I acknowledge the role played by...

Seanad: Veterinary Practice Bill 2004: Second Stage. (4 Nov 2004)

Noel Coonan: The Taoiseach's job is next.

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Nov 2004)

Noel Coonan: I wish to raise two issues of national importance which will have an impact on rural communities. First, will the Leader contact the director of the RTE Authority regarding its coverage of the story involving variant CJD. Unfortunately, the first case of a human contracting the disease in this country has been confirmed. RTE appears to be hell bent on doing maximum damage to the agricultural...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (25 Nov 2004)

Noel Coonan: I, too, seek a debate on decentralisation. Today is also Thanksgiving Day. This is some way to give thanks to the people of Tipperary, who have been left out. Will the Leader also correct the record of the House? Senator Hanafin blames Mr. Phil Flynn and the trade unions and Senator Leyden blames Fine Gael but there is no reason that decentralisation should not take place to Thurles. It is...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (25 Nov 2004)

Noel Coonan: Concentrate on Tipperary town.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (25 Nov 2004)

Noel Coonan: Senator Leyden.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Dec 2004)

Noel Coonan: I support my colleague, Senator Finucane, on the issue of the McCabe murderers. In my political career to date I have never seen such an outpouring of horror and revulsion from members of the Garda community. The House will be aware I come from Templemore. They are aghast at this U-turn by the Taoiseach. Their families and the community in general are horrified. It is said that Senator...

Seanad: Sugar Beet Industry: Motion. (26 Jan 2005)

Noel Coonan: I move: That Seanad Éireann acknowledges the tremendous contribution by the Irish sugar beet industry to the economic and social development of rural Ireland since 1926 and recognises the ongoing importance of the industry to Irish farming: —regrets the recent announcement by Greencore plc to cease sugar production at the Carlow plant from March 2005 and calls on the company to reverse...

Seanad: Sugar Beet Industry: Motion. (26 Jan 2005)

Noel Coonan: We want to see the beast in her. We want her to take action and show her steel. It is time she represented the farmers, the beet growers and the workers of this country by taking on the big companies which put their own interests and gains before the interests and well being of the country and its farming community.

Seanad: Sugar Beet Industry: Motion. (26 Jan 2005)

Noel Coonan: In that event, the Government had better sack the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon.