Results 1-20 of 301 for long speaker:Seán Power

National Minimum Wage: Motion (Resumed) (15 Dec 2010)

Seán Power: -----to debate this or any other issue. I note Deputy Connaughton will bid us farewell in a few weeks time. I take this opportunity to acknowledge his contributions in the House over a long number of years, for which the Deputy has been rewarded by the people of Galway in successive elections. I wish him well.

National Minimum Wage: Motion (Resumed) (15 Dec 2010)

Seán Power: ...decisions have and will continue to be made for the foreseeable future. The way we do our business here must reflect the change that is taking place outside. Opposition for the sake of it is no longer acceptable. We are discussing the reduction in the minimum wage, a matter in respect of which I have received correspondence, some of it from people who are upset about its introduction....

EU-IMF Programme of Financial Support: Motion (15 Dec 2010)

Seán Power: ...and forecasts that we gave to our European colleagues were changed shortly after they were given. The arrival of the IMF was one of the blackest days this country has ever seen. We denied for a long time that outside assistance was required, or indeed being sought.

Nursing Home Care: Motion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2010)

Seán Power: ...the Ombudsman's report and that in future we will see greater co-operation between the Department and the Office of the Ombudsman. The Minister indicated that the budget this year in respect of long-term care for the fair deal scheme and for those remaining in public long-stay facilities and receiving subvention in private facilities would be more than €979 million. Regardless of what...

Reform of Structures of Government: Motion (Resumed) (10 Nov 2010)

Seán Power: ...which proposes that we sit for up to four days per week. The present system is hardly appropriate. It is indefensible that we sit for only two days per week during weeks with a bank holiday. The long breaks at Christmas and during the summer are not necessary. Earlier this year, at the end of May or in early June, I proposed at a meeting of my parliamentary party that we sit during the...

Order of Business. (16 Jun 2010)

Seán Power: ...successor, Major General Seán McCann, good luck in his new role. It is appropriate that we acknowledge the enormous dedication and commitment shown by Lieutenant General Dermot Earley during a long and distinguished career in the Defence Forces. I wish Dermot Earley and his wife, Mary, well as he battles with serious illness.

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (9 Mar 2010)

Seán Power: ...and that there will be no further splits in The Workers' Party. Politics needs characters like Tomás MacGiolla and I want to thank him for the tremendous contribution he made to public life over a long number of years. I hope that today he is resting in a happier place.

Civil Partnership Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Jan 2010)

Seán Power: I am glad to speak on this Bill, which has been promised for a long time. It would appear to have widespread support among Deputies. As a young Deputy in the early 1990s, I recall the former Minister, Mrs. Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, introducing legislation to decriminalise homosexuality. I was the only Government backbencher to speak in support of that measure at the time. Some people...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2009)

Seán Power: ...as much as possible. We are explaining to the people that although we appreciate that we are creating difficulties and there will be a certain short-term hardship, we believe it will result in a long-term gain. It is important to take the tough and correct decisions now.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2009)

Seán Power: I will. We realise that the decisions made last Wednesday will create difficulties but we are convinced the decisions are the right ones in the long term and in the best interest of this country.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Oct 2009)

Seán Power: ..., the House will not sit during the week following the bank holiday weekend. There is no justification for that, however, so I ask the Chief Whip to ensure that the House sits then. We are not long back since the summer holidays and the public has never been so cynical about politics. We need to make this House relevant. We are talking about establishing NAMA where billions are thrown...

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Seán Power: At the outset I would like to welcome the two new Members, Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan and Deputy George Lee, to the House. In fairness to Deputy O'Sullivan, she has had a long association with the late Deputy Tony Gregory and while we differed on many issues, nobody would argue that he supported people who had been neglected in the past or who did not get the attention they deserved. It will...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (24 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: ...measure to support a recovery of the stock in the shortest time possible, which if all measures proposed are adopted and if the EU Member States adopt a similar conservative approach, could be as long as 90 years (i.e. an average of 4 eel generations). A partial closure of the fishery or a more relaxed approach to the other management measures would have extended this recovery period to a...

Written Answers — Bio-fuels Industry: Bio-fuels Industry (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: ...the fuel mix, in advance of the introduction of a national bio-fuels obligation in 2010. Market penetration of bio-fuels in Ireland has grown from virtually nil in 2004 although there is still a long way to go. In the case of some of the developments in receipt of excise relief under the Scheme, imports were acknowledged as a necessary part of their plans pending the establishment of...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: ...measure to support a recovery of the stock in the shortest time possible, which if all measures proposed are adopted and if other EU Member States adopt a similar conservative approach, could be as long as 90 years (i.e. an average of 4 eel generations). Under the regulation, all aspects of the plan must be reviewed in 2012. This review will consider, inter alia, whether the eel fishery...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: ...to support a recovery of the stock in the shortest time possible, which if all the measures proposed are adopted and if other EU Member States adopt a similar conservative approach, could be as long as 90 years (i.e. an average of 4 eel generations). Under the Regulation, all aspects of the plan must be reviewed in 2012. This review will consider, inter alia, whether the eel fishery and...

Electricity Price Regulation. (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: We all agree competition is necessary and that ESB had a monopoly for too long. Both Airtricity and Bord Gáis, however, are recent entrants to the domestic electricity market. Bord Gáis Energy has advised that in excess of 80,000 customers have switched and while that volume of change-over exceeded expectations, the numbers remain small in comparison to the domestic market of 2 million...

Bio-fuel Industry. (12 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: ...European and Irish companies made it difficult for the sector. Today, the Commission announced its decision to impose an anti-dumping duty on US biodiesel. While the regulation in question is long and complex, the bottom line is that some importing companies will be hit harder than others. Our initial estimate is that the duty will be 16 cent per litre on average. We will be advising...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (11 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: ...the stock in the shortest time possible. I am advised that if all measures proposed are adopted and if other EU Member States take a similar conservative approach, the recovery period could be as long as 90 years (i.e. an average of 4 eel generations). A partial closure of the fishery or a more relaxed approach to the other management measures would have extended this recovery period to...

Written Answers — Fisheries Conservation: Fisheries Conservation (3 Mar 2009)

Seán Power: ...was taken to support a recovery of the stock in the shortest time possible, which if all measures proposed are adopted and if the EU Member States adopt a similar conservative approach, could be as long as 90 years (i.e. an average of 4 eel generations). Under the Regulation, all aspects of the Plan must be reviewed in 2012. This review will consider, inter alia, whether the eel fishery...