Andrews, DavidThursday, 9 May 1974 |
Dáil Eireann Debate
Page of 38
|
Local Elections (Petitions and Disqualifications) Bill, 1974: Committee Stage (Resumed).
The Deputy is trying to show the Minister's attitude. (Interruptions.)
Has the Minister got a clerical officer——
The truth is out now and the Minister is caught redhanded. He has a member of his party running for election, a clerical officer.
The truth is out now. It is a pal of the Minister. It is typical of the pal-ism——
I do? I am sorry.
The Minister's attitude on this occasion and on many other occasions to the Opposition can be summed up in the well known expression: “Put a beggar on horseback”.
When the Minister was in Opposition he was full of liberalism——
——to the point of explosion.
Now that this great liberal gets on the horseback of Government——
I am trying to explain the expression I used. When this great liberal was put on the horseback of Government——
That is what I am doing.
I am trying to build up my soliloquy or my contribution, call it what you will, towards the point where I will reach the amendment before us.
I think I am entitled to give the preamble to that actual expression. We consider this to be an extremely reasonable amendment. I am trying to get to the psychology of the Minister's refusal to acce...
It is a very reasonable expression. When the Minister was in Opposition he was a great liberal and now when he is put in the saddle of Government he tries to grind the Opposition and that is why he w...
I am not making a personal attack on the Minister. I am just trying to explain the Minister's attitude in refusing to accept the Opposition's very reasonable amendment about the exclusion of clerical...
——from the terms of the Bill which is now before us.
I am not attacking the Minister in his personal capacity. I am attacking him in his corporate capacity as Minister for Local Government. I am trying to get to the basis of his reason for refusing the...
I am trying to explain the reasons why this amendment will not be accepted by the Government. I have to get to the basis of it and I must create my arguments on that point. I am trying to convince t...
I do not want to. He must be somewhere within the Minister's bailiwick. I do not know the man. I do not want to indulge in that form of politics.
The Minister is weakening. I can see that. The Minister admits that he has a clerical officer——
The Minister then admits that he has a clerical officer, a decent man—no doubt about it, I am sure—running in the name of the Labour Party and he is probably an influential man in that area, in the po...
That is what I say— influential in the Labour Party in his area and obviously influential with the Minister to the point where the Minister is prepared to stand fast on behalf of the man to ensure tha...
I am not indulging in personalities. I have not mentioned a name, good, bad or indifferent. I have not mentioned one name on the record of the House.
He could be Joe Blow, Joe Soap. He could be yourself —with great respect.
When the Minister comes to reply I know he will not be personal. The Minister is not capable of that as he has shown in the past. There is another aspect of Deputy Molloy's amendment which has not be...
For what?
Of course he would. That is an excellent point. The clerical officer would have an advantage over other councillors in that he would get free postage when writing as a clerical officer to himself as ...
The Minister is not being serious about this matter. We are in no way reflecting on the capacity or ability or capability of clerical officers. They are a worthy group of citizens doing a very good ...
I am just summing up my arguments.
The first point is that the Minister just will not accept the Opposition's amendment. It is an Opposition amendment and consequently is not acceptable. The second reason, as we have said, is that th...
I brought this matter up on a number of occasions. I know it is not strictly relevant but it comes up on the point of a clerical officer writing to himself in his capacity as local councillor. I beli...
I believe the time must come when local representatives are paid by the people because——
I very much appreciate the patience of the Ceann Comhairle and of the Minister on this occasion in listening to me with such attention. I know the Minister was very interested and I have no doubt tha...
I have not been here all the time but I am sure that after a discussion——
I wanted to hear the other side before handing down a judgment. There is no hope of my becoming a judge under the present Administration—that is by way of a joke.
That does not become the Minister.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Booterstown Marshes Preservation.
asked the Minister for Local Government the plans, if any, his Department have to ensure the preservation of Booterstown Marshes, County Dublin from building or road development.
The Parliamentary Secretary did not answer my question which was clear. It was: To ask the Minister for Local Government the plans, if any, his Department have to ensure the preservation of Bootersto...
This shows a total lack of concern by the Parliamentary Secretary and the Minister for Local Government about these very important marshes.
They will be encroached upon if a preservation order is not laid thereon.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary tell me the position in relation to these marshes?
This is more double talk. The Parliamentary Secretary says——
Yes, Sir, I appreciate that. The Parliamentary Secretary says that there are no firm plans before his Department. Are there any plans which are not firm or is there a possibility of——
No, Sir, I am not. I am asking the parliamentary Secretary if there is any possibility of plans which will bring about a road system which may encroach on these marshes? The Booterstown Marshes are h...
——and by ornithologists generally because it is abundant in bird life.
I want to put a supplementary question to Deputy Moore who has answered my question clearly.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to raise the subject matter of Question No. 9 on the Adjournment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - ACC Loans.
We might as well not be here.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Damage to Telephone Kiosks.
Can the Minister make any comment on a recent statement in the news media to the effect that a certain individual is being driven mad by the telephones in this city and county of Dublin and that he in...
I referred specifically to ready access to this vital means of communication in an emergency such as fire, accident or serious illness. This is a very serious case where an individual intends selling ...
——in south county Dublin. Would the Minister cease propagandising himself and get down to the telephone service which is driving a number of people insane?
He was probably driven out of the house in a rage, arrived at a telephone kiosk and could not communicate. This to-ing and froing between his private telephone and the telephone kiosk was driving him...
We are sick to death of the Minister propagandising himself. We are bored with him. Put the telephone service in order.
Get down to the telephone service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Dublin School.
asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the urgent need to provide a site and school to replace Saint Brigid's National School, Foxrock, County Dublin, in view of the vast increase in the p...
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say how much attention it is receiving?
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say when the result of the considerable attention will be evident? Can he tell us in other words when they will begin to build the school?
I am grateful to the Parliamentary Secretary. That is basically the information I wanted.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Montessori Diploma.
asked the Minister for Education why the Benincasa course is not subject to the approval of his Department.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary state for the record the reasons why the experts refuse to recognise?
I must compliment the Parliamentary Secretary on the information he has given the House and I appreciate it.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Border Pay.
asked the Minister for Justice the average weekly wage packet of gardaí on border duty; and the daily allowances payable to them in addition to their pay.
Can the Minister say why are the daily allowances reduced from £2.83 to £1.71 after 14 days? Is there some reason for that?
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Desertion and Maintenance Legislation.
asked the Minister for Justice when he intends to introduce legislation to give effect to the recommendations of the Nineteenth Interim Report of the Committee of Court Practice and Procedure on the s...
Will the Minister be introducing a Bill before the Summer Recess?
We cannot expect any legislation this session?
With whom is the Minister in consultation in preparing the legislation?
I take it from the Minister's reply that he basically agrees with the recommendations of the report in toto, more or less?
On the basis that the Minister agrees with the principle of the recommendations I take it that he will enshrine them in that legislation?
| Last Updated: 14/09/2010 22:30:03 |
Page of 38
|