Results 2,041-2,060 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Sep 2011)

Feargal Quinn: My attention was drawn to the scandal of imported diesel and the problems it is creating for many people who are in the business of selling diesel. The estimated cost to the State of the contaminated, or washed, diesel is between €100 and €200 million. There are 35,000 litres in a tanker of diesel. The profit from a full tanker, bought legitimately, is approximately €1,500. However,...

Seanad: Innovation at the Heart of the Jobs Challenge: Statements (14 Sep 2011)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister. I was at the meeting of the Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education and the senior civil servants made some strong points, particularly that it was not the Government's job to create jobs, rather it was its duty to create the environment in which jobs could be created. These are the messages I welcome because that is what we must do. We heard ideas...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Sep 2011)

Feargal Quinn: Having raised a matter on a number of occasions in the House, I am pleased the British are listening to me and taking action on the issue. I refer to the large amount of wasted food. Information alone can help to address this problem. A number of labels are used on supermarket foods and I take responsibility for my role in this area in the past. They are "use by", "sell by" and "best...

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Sep 2011)

Feargal Quinn: Senator van Turnhout drew attention to the motion on the missing child hotline, which should be given a high priority. Senator Daly has also put a great deal of work into it. It has identified a matter in respect of which we are slipping behind the rest of Europe. There would be no cost and we could do it readily. Senator MacSharry made a point concerning social welfare and social...

Seanad: Reporting of Lobbying in Criminal Legal Cases Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Feargal Quinn: I second the Bill. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. I am convinced the Government will accept the Bill because it is short, simple and easy to understand and it does not go nearly as far in the direction in which it could go. We have a tradition in Ireland of trying to influence decisions in many ways. When I became chairman of An Post, I could not believe the number...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Sep 2011)

Feargal Quinn: How can I follow that? I was interested to read in recent days that the new Greek property tax will be collected with electricity bills. It made me think how inefficient and costly is our tax system. I will give some examples. The Revenue Commissioners collect income tax, the universal service charge, capital gains tax and corporation tax. Local authorities, meanwhile, collect commercial...

Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Feargal Quinn: Is the Minister of State's speech going to be circulated? I have great difficulty following the numbers.

Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Feargal Quinn: I find this debate so interesting and in particular the views of Senators Hayden and Barrett. I wish they had been here in recent years to make some of those arguments. I wish Senator Barrett had been here back in 2001 when we could have heeded him. To a certain extent, however, they are talking about the past. Senator Hayden is right to mention the European movement and what went wrong...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2011)

Feargal Quinn: I travelled to Athens in Greece on Sunday for a meeting on Monday. The flight was delayed by two or three hours and I did not arrive there until early Monday because the air traffic controllers in Greece went on strike. On Monday the underground metro went on strike in protest against the austerity measures, on Tuesday the buses went on strike and today the taxis are going on strike. I...

Seanad: Company Closures: Motion (Resumed) (28 Sep 2011)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is welcome. I know his heart is in the right place because he and I have come across each other quite a lot in recent times. If I may, I will tell the Minister of State a little story. I met an Irishman on a plane a few years who was on the board of an American company which had received a proposal from one of its employees who had a new concept for a new task or new...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Oct 2011)

Feargal Quinn: Some months ago I raised the question of one airline in particular making a substantial sum of money from overcharging for credit card fees, but I was incorrect inasmuch as I did not go far enough. The charges made by all airlines for taxes, fees and airport charges for a passenger who does not travel are not refunded automatically. Not only that, each airline makes it very difficult for a...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2011)

Feargal Quinn: I thank Senator Zappone for an education and the activity she has created in this regard. I did not know anything about the loop system and did not realise this. I also thank Senator Darragh O'Brien for raising again the question regarding illegal diesel I introduced some time ago. It is a matter of huge concern for the State because the money involved runs to hundreds of millions of euros...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Feargal Quinn: IBEC published a number of proposals today which are worthy of debate. I suggest that the Leader might find time for such a debate in the near future. The problem which faces us is that we are not spending in Ireland. We have a strong export sector but we are continuing to save rather than spend. I grew up during a time when we were all encouraged to save but it appears now we need to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Oct 2011)

Feargal Quinn: On Monday I got a call from Áras an Uachtaráin.

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Oct 2011)

Feargal Quinn: The reason I bring it up is that it was a call inquiring about the health of my mother-in-law. Her 102nd birthday was due to fall on 10 November and the President wanted to know to which address she should send the letter of recognition. Unfortunately, my mother-in-law died a few months ago and I was able to tell them that. This is a reminder of what we are able to do if we commit...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2011)

Feargal Quinn: I was impressed by Senator Leyden's reference to the ability of both Houses to scrutinise European legislation. In the past, we had a Joint Committee on European Scrutiny but we do not have that any more and I am not sure whether that legislation is being scrutinised. The House could well play an active part in this. The reason I raise this is comments yesterday by the British Lord Chief...

Seanad: Dormant Accounts Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Oct 2011)

Feargal Quinn: This legislation sets an example that we could follow in other areas. We should examine legislation that was very sensible when it was enacted not too many years ago and recognise that it or a particular quango it established has served its time and purpose. It is not always necessary to set up organisations and far too many were set up in the past. I encourage the Minister and the...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Oct 2011)

Feargal Quinn: We have had a constitution since 1937 and it has worked very well for us. If we are to tamper with it, we should do so with very delicate fingers and thoughts. We should be careful about how we do it. A clear objective of the Government side should be to say why we want these two amendments to be made. The discussion we need to have has not nearly taken place. A debate today and tomorrow...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Oct 2011)

Feargal Quinn: Therefore, I support Senator Darragh O'Brien's call for the Minister to come to the House, although I appreciate it would be at short notice. It seems this debate has been superseded by the Presidential election debate which has taken prominence from it. The vast majority of the public do not know enough about it. People have not had time to consider it. This is an occasion for us to do...

Seanad: Gender-Based Violence: Motion (26 Oct 2011)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, to the Chamber. I enjoy doing The Irish Times crossword every day because I am interested in vocabulary. Many of the new words I have heard in the past year are not very pleasant. I did not hear the word "gendercide" until last year but as Senator Mullen pointed out, it was used in a book title as far back as 1985. It really is a nasty word....