Results 41-60 of 996 for speaker:John Gerard Hanafin

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 May 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: It is surprising and disconcerting to hear ideologically bound parties departing from their ideologies to support opposition for the sake of opposition. I support the proposals regarding land banks. A total of 19 people are hoarding land around Dublin city.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 May 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: Belgium, which is the same size as Munster and has a population of ten million, does not have a housing crisis. Those who own the land banks should be requested to use them or lose them.

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 May 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: Will the Minister ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when the YFI application will be available in Leinster House? As the House knows, YFI is a wireless Internet application and a new and exciting prospect. Leinster House will be one of the first places in the country to use this application.

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Jun 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: Will the Leader make time available for a debate on the perennial problem of stress? This is a matter about which we can do something. It would be useful to have a discussion in the House on this issue in order to hear the views of the Members. Stress can be self-induced, but it can also come about as a result of outside forces—

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Jun 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: —such as, unfortunately, bullying. The latter exists at all levels in business and education and throughout society in general.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jun 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: I join my colleagues in calling for a debate on a number of issues. I refer, first, to competitiveness, which is the interests of all of us, having regard to the change in the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar, high insurance costs and changing events within Europe. A delegation from the Hungarian Parliament visited the Houses of the Oireachtas last week. They are now achieving...

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jul 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: I seek time to debate the issue of super-pubs. The Celtic tiger has had many benefits but the development of super-pubs marks a departure from tradition and fosters our culture of drinking. Pubs were intended to be public houses, not public warehouses. It is of no benefit to society when it becomes impossible for barpersons to monitor how much drink patrons are consuming. Some public houses...

Seanad: Forfás Consumer Pricing Report 2003: Statements. (2 Jul 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: The finding of Forfás on inflation can be attributed to several conditions that prevailed in the economy for recent years. The first is the fact that we imported much of our inflation and the second is demand. There was a demand in the legal sector because we have established many tribunals of inquiry. There have been other causes of our compensation culture that have led to demands on the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Jul 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: This is an historic day for this House because, if a division is called, it is the last time we will vote under the current procedure of walking through the lobbies.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Jul 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: I confirmed it with the Captain of the Guard.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Jul 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: I believe that the builders will be in on Monday and when we return to the House, we will be voting under a new system.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Jul 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: No, and I thank the Cathaoirleach for extending our time this morning. I still regard it as an historic day because it is a change in the House and I would like to note it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Oct 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: I echo the call for a debate on a UN role in Iraq. It would be a timely opportunity for us to debate a UN role. It is, perhaps, timely that there would be a strong UN role in Iraq. Will the Leader pass on my wish and that of many Members that the elections in Northern Ireland proceed and that a date for them be set as a matter of urgency?

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Oct 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: I support calls for a debate on the western rail corridor but the debate should cover the overall way the rail services are used in Ireland. The Limerick-Ballybrophy and Rosslare-Limerick lines are not being used and that is part of a wider debate. I support calls for a debate on stem cell research, about which I feel particularly strongly. Huge benefits may accrue from such research; for...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Oct 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: I join the call for a debate on the Middle East as someone who would have freely voted for George Bush – I would be in a minority in the House in that regard – if given the opportunity. It is disquieting, having accepted the view that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, to find there are apparently no such weapons. This leads to a situation where we should debate Ireland's...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Oct 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: The people of Israel have known such oppression and should show compassion to their neighbours. I share Senator Ó Murchú's view and I take pride in the fact that Senator Mansergh is a Tipperary man. I would expect also that the Government would have parameters and different feelers going out to different organisations at times without making decisions. Do we seriously think the British...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Oct 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: Do we seriously expect that the British Government or the American Government—

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Nov 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: I thank the Leader for all the work she has done, the opportunities she has given the House to meet and speak with Ministers and the efforts she is making on our behalf.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Nov 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: I would welcome the opportunity to debate stem cell research although it is not a subject that makes people jump out of bed early in the morning to run down to the breakfast table and chat with the family about. Notwithstanding this, it is a very important issue and one about which there is much misunderstanding and misrepresentation. Today's issue of the Irish Independent at best...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Nov 2003)

John Gerard Hanafin: I support Senator Maurice Hayes's call for a debate on neutrality. It is poignant that today is the 85th anniversary of the end of the First World War. Armistice Day in 1918 was a wonderful occasion, especially in Ireland because this country had sent many of its young men to fight German imperialism in Europe while at home, and against one of the largest empires the world had ever seen, the...