Results 81-100 of 228 for speaker:Déirdre de Búrca

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jun 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: I agree with the points Senator Alex White raised. This morning's bookies odds on a "No" vote in the Lisbon treaty are worrying. The bookies have improved the odds of a "No" vote.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jun 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: Those of us who are concerned about the Lisbon treaty and who want it ratified need to look at those constituencies which are concerned about the possible implications of ratifying the treaty with a view to reassuring them. It appears the Taoiseach reassured the farming community to such an extent that the president of the IFA, who addressed the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs...

Seanad: Charter of Fundamental Rights: Statements (4 Jun 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am glad of this opportunity to debate the charter of fundamental rights that is attached to the Lisbon treaty by means of a protocol. The treaty sets out to bring the EU and its institutions closer to citizens, as well as making itself more relevant to the citizenry of the Union. The charter helps to do just that. The treaty itself clarifies...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jun 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: I wish to raise the issue of the fatalities which occurred on our roads during the bank holiday weekend. I begin by expressing my sympathy to the families of those who died on our roads. It was disturbing to hear the chairman of the Road Safety Authority calling for two Departments to agree on the roll-out of speed cameras. According to the chairman, Gay Byrne, a stand-off between the...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: Like Senator Hannigan, I welcome the announcement that agreement was reached last night in Croke Park on the international treaty banning the use of cluster munitions or cluster bombs. The central role played by Ireland in organising this conference and in pushing forward the issue must be acknowledged, as must the role the United Kingdom is playing. It appears that its Prime Minister, Mr....

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: The Leader of the House should consider, as a matter of urgency, asking the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to address the House on this issue. I believe he considers it to be such an important issue that he would be willing to do so despite his busy schedule.

Seanad: Health Services: Motion (28 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: As I was not aware I was sharing time, I will have to pare back what I intended to say. It is difficult to make a meaningful contribution to a debate on the health services in four minutes. However, I will do my best. I welcome the opportunity to debate the Labour Party's motion. It is a welcome motion because it reflects most aspects of the public's concern about the Health Service...

Seanad: Health Services: Motion (28 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: His vision for the future delivery of cancer services involves a greater reliance on ambulatory and community based services, along with specialist centres. That is the type of model we should look to for the HSE generally. Over time, we can expect to be able to point to discrete areas of the health service with clear figureheads. The Leas-Chathaoirleach has indicated that I have used up my...

Seanad: Health Services: Motion (28 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: I was only getting started. I regret that I do not have sufficient time to make all the points I hoped to make. While I welcome the Labour Party motion, I also acknowledge the many positive developments that were highlighted by the Minister.

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and the opportunity to approve the motion to extend for a further eight months the investigative period of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. This debate is taking place because it is necessary under the Act for both Houses of the Oireachtas to approve the order to extend the commission's term. While the Green Party is happy to do so, the...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: Will the Leader invite the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to the House to address the issue of planning enforcement? I raise this because there is a report in the national newspapers today on a case in County Wicklow involving an unauthorised development beside the N11. It has been unauthorised for many years and is to be the subject of a material contravention...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: I welcome the Minister to the House and am glad of the opportunity to discuss the Broadcasting Bill 2008. This is very significant legislation and I congratulate the Minister on producing it within the first year of assuming his portfolio. The Bill seeks to revise the law relating to broadcasting services and content generally and repeals all the existing broadcasting content legislation....

Seanad: HSE Child Welfare and Protection Services: Statements (21 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: I welcome the Minister of State and congratulate him on his promotion. It is not an enviable task. The "Prime Time Investigates" programme has concentrated much public attention on the Minister of State's area of responsibility and that is the context in which this debate is taking place. It is always important not to respond in a reactive way to media-generated headlines but many of the...

Seanad: Tragedy in Burma: Statements (20 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Like my colleague, Senator Boyle, I wish to express my party's concern at the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis in Burma. An estimated 128,000 people are dead and a further 1.5 million are at risk of disease and starvation. The international community is having difficulty providing the type of aid which countries subject to natural disasters such as...

Seanad: Legal Practitioners (Irish Language) Bill 2007: Second Stage (14 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: Tá brón orm freisin nach mbeidh mé in ann an Bille seo a phlé trí Ghaeilge. Ba mhaith liom go mbeadh mo chuid Gaeilge maith go leor chun é sin a dhéanamh ach níl sé. Mar sin de, caithfidh mé é a phlé as Béarla. Unfortunately I do not feel my Irish is sufficiently proficient to discuss this Bill. However, Des Bishop visited the Houses of the Oireachtas today and showed us all...

Seanad: Rural Development: Statements (14 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for his presentation. I welcome the opportunity to discuss the issue of rural development. When we talk about rural development, it is clear that the economic and social development of rural communities must involve much more than what was perhaps the more traditional model of direct assistance to farm families. Some of the dangers of this...

Seanad: Rural Development: Statements (14 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: That is not the case.

Seanad: Rural Development: Statements (14 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: He has made it very clear that the roll-out of broadband——

Seanad: Rural Development: Statements (14 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: The Minister will be appearing before the House shortly and if the Senator wants to take it up with him, he is perfectly entitled to do so.

Seanad: Rural Development: Statements (14 May 2008)

Déirdre de Búrca: The Minister has committed himself to the roll-out of broadband during this——