Results 261-280 of 996 for speaker:John Gerard Hanafin

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: The Cathaoirleach is a well known referee. May I have injury time?

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: It is not the time for insults.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: Last week the leader of the Labour Party in the House said he would not know whether to laugh or cry if we had such a debate but that such a debate was necessary. It needs to be held in the public domain because we need to know what the Opposition parties would do and how they would collect the €4 billion.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: It is disingenuous to pick out the obvious changes that will be made in the budget and say we would not make those cuts.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: In light of the recent excellent work by this Chamber on NAMA, I ask the Leader to note a fact that was not mentioned as much as it should have been that the rate we have received from the European Central Bank to buy the toxic assets is 1.5%. It fundamentally amounts to a Marshall plan for Ireland from Europe.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: If our banks went to raise that money in Europe, they would have to repay a multiple of that rate. The total cost of the impaired loans will be covered by the 8% we are receiving as a coupon from the banks for the €7 billion we have already given to them. The Leader should consider a debate as the United Kingdom has indicated it will extend its nuclear capacity, in particular along the...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: I support the call for the Leader to make known the view of the House that the death penalty is not acceptable, even for the most heinous crimes. The state must be seen, in whatever circumstances, to act in a proper manner. Life is sacred, even in cases where the most heinous acts have been committed. On another matter, I ask that we vary the debate on the pre-budget statements this year....

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: I wish to clarify, in the interests of historical and factual accuracy, that during his time as Taoiseach, Éamon de Valera appointed a Senator to the Cabinet.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: I was merely offering an important point of clarification.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: It may not be relevant but I was obliged to clarify the position.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: I believe there is merit in Senator Bacik's proposal in connection with the French model whereby a credit mediator has been appointed to keep a watchful eye on how the banks are performing, with a view to ensuring best possible practice, and to publicise information in this regard. We must face the fact that under the Basel round of agreements the tier 1 capital ratios for the banks has...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: Will the Leader, as a matter of urgency, inquire about the possibility of having the proceedings of the Seanad streamed to the national media? I am conscious the House is well served by Jimmy Walsh in The Irish Times, and "Oireachtas Report" on RTE, but both of these organs are media of record and, unfortunately, the gatekeepers and opinion givers do not have a high opinion of what happens...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: The slow-down in property prices that we predicted when the banks over-lent was exacerbated by the near collapse of the world economy and credit market a year and a half ago. Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and AIG all fell; therefore, it is no wonder that people are fearful because a year and a half ago we did not know whether we would have a banking system or whether...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: If the Opposition wishes to talk about waste, it should remember it too has been a substantial contributor to it.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: I support the Bill because the alternative proposed is neither as financially sound nor as acceptable to the marketplace in terms of its immediate knock-on effect on those who have invested in the banks which would lose the high standing they need. This party holds no brief for the banks. We are protecting the economy, to which there is no alternative. We saw what happened in Japan when...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: Among world economies-----

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: -----there is no country in which property prices did not reach their original price seven years after falling into a trough. Those who say we will lose money and that we have imposed this debt on our children err. We can reasonably expect this will be self-financing.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2009)

John Gerard Hanafin: I ask the Leader to make reference today to the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. While I am conscious that success has many fathers, it is important to put in context what happened at the time. The fall of the wall was the result of a convergence of facts. First, the system that operated behind the wall was corrupt and inefficient. Second, people came together at the time....