Regan urges Cowen to answer question and not get personal- Irish Times

Regan urges Cowen to answer question and not get personal

JIMMY WALSH  Irish Times

Thu, Feb 25, 2010

SEANAD REPORT: FINE GAEL justice spokesman Eugene Regan said that having raised a legitimate question on Tuesday about the Taoiseach’s relationship with Seán FitzPatrick of Anglo Irish Bank there was no need for Mr Cowen “to get thick with me” over the matter.

Mr Regan said it would be much better if the Taoiseach addressed the question raised rather than attacking him personally. “The Taoiseach raised the borrowing limit that allowed the fiasco of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority and its purchase of the Irish Glass Bottle site.

“The second issue is the private dinners that were held at a very critical time when he was taoiseach-in-waiting and the veto [by the Taoiseach on Anglo Irish Bank being excluded from the bank guarantee scheme].”

Mr Regan asked Terry Leyden (FF) to clarify his comment about him being on the next assassination list.

Mr Leyden had not meant to “imply that Senator Regan was on an assassination list but he is a political assassin. That is the difference. He took out Bertie Ahern, Willie O’Dea . . . who is next on your list, Senator?”

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Morning Ireland interview

Yesterday, I spoke on RTE’s Morning Ireland radio show with Aine Lawlor about Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea’s false statement. You can download the interview here

Interview on RTE Radio’s News at One

I spoke yesterday to Sean O’Rourke on RTE Radio’s News at One about the formal complaint I lodged with the EU about size and scope of NAMA.

The interview can be downloaded here

Contentious Liquor Bill To Be Passed Without Proper Consultation - Regan

The hasty manner in which the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008 is being rushed through the Dáil is leaving little or no time for proper consideration of the implications the legislation will have for public safety, according to Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson, Senator Eugene Regan.  “The contentious Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008 is being swept through the Dáil and Seanad at a ferocious rate and little time has been given to seriously debating the repercussions that this legislation will have on society with regard to public order offences. “It is ironic that the primary purpose of the Bill was to deal with public order issues, however the reality is that the Bill’s objective is being undermined by its own provisions when consideration is given to the closing times of venues. “It is appalling practice that a mere seven amendments of this Bill that were tabled were debated in the Dáil, with no Report Stage being undertaken. There has been no real time given to public consultation or proper consideration of this Bill, which if enacted will be a recipe for escalating street crime. “Assurances from the Seanad Leader this week that the Upper House can debate this Bill for as long as necessary this evening is an empty gesture as the Dáil will adjourn later today and will be unable to consider any amendments proposed. This is confirmed by the fact that Fianna Fáil and Green Senators, who tabled amendments to the Bill, this afternoon withdrew their own amendments. “The Government is displaying ‘mule-like’ stubbornness in its resistance to suggestions to improve this Bill. If sequential closing is not introduced there will be serious implications for public safety as thousands of people spill onto the streets simultaneously.

“Fine Gael intends proposing a special licence for nightclubs subject to a range of stringent public safety conditions which will provide the solution to sequential closing and public safety.

Irish Times: Charter of Fundamental Rights Is Similar to Irish Constitution

Senator Eugene Regan has said that the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights is similar to the Irish Constitution, which contains a statement of socio economic rights , which are principles and not enforceable.

Continue reading Irish Times: Charter of Fundamental Rights Is Similar to Irish Constitution…