Results 2,601-2,620 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: Everything I intended to say has been said already by the previous two speakers, particularly Senator Cullinane. I have travelled around the country a good deal in recent years and seen the challenges facing the large number of small businesses, many of which employ only half a dozen people or fewer. Expecting them to bear the cost of this measure will be a major burden. We are hearing all...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: There has been a very good campaign to promote safe food in recent times. Another food-related issue is food waste. It is a matter that is in our own hands to a very large extent so I am not sure that we need legislation. We must encourage whomever, perhaps the Department of Health, to convince the public to reduce food wastage. I do not have the figure for food wastage in Ireland but the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Report Stage (7 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I will move that.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Report Stage (7 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: Yes. I move amendment No. 9:In page 11, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: "10. The Minister shall, as soon as practicable, lay before each House of the Oireachtas a report on the measures taken to ensure that the €32 million being deducted through reduced social welfare payments for the 18 to 26 year age group would be ring fenced and re-invested in productive...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Report Stage (7 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I had forgotten that I moved it. I have listened carefully to what the Minister has had to say. I must say I cannot disagree with her worthy commentary. I have some difficulty with the numbers and figures that have been mentioned. Senator Norris has given us different figures. The Minister has clearly explained the basis on which her figures were compiled. I fully support the concept...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I understand the accounting problems being experienced by RSA are not as a consequence of fraud or anything like it but stem from a misjudgment of the number of injury claims. It is only ten years or so since the legislation establishing the injuries board was passed in this House; it was meant to solve the problem of the large increase in the number of injury claims. In this case, however,...

Seanad: Science Week: Statements (12 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I am delighted that science is part of his portfolio. I was very fortunate to attend Newbridge College, back in the 1950s, where we had a marvellous science teacher, Fr. Michael Casey. Everybody did science. We had a great laboratory and a great teacher. Later on, Fr. Casey became a professor of science in Maynooth. We studied physics,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Progress Update: Discussion with Microfinance Ireland (12 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: The witnesses are very welcome and I thank them for teaching us about this initiative area and telling me a great deal that I do not know already. I have been judging the Entrepreneur of the Year for Business & Finance magazine in the past few weeks and we have come down to the final decision. There were 32 entries. They were bigger operations than the ones Ms Murray mentioned but...

Seanad: Electricity Transmission Network: Motion (13 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister. I also welcome the debate because it is a topic worthy of discussion. I second Senator Mullen's motion as it is an area that needs more debate. We must go beyond the status quo whereby we are told that placing electricity lines underground is just too expensive. That seems a simple approach and Senator Mullen has explained it well. We must consider the benefits...

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Second Stage (14 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State, who must be getting fond of us in this House. I am delighted to see her back here again wearing a hat that is different from her normal one. I welcome the basis of the Bill, and the most interesting figure given today is Senator White's claim that Circuit Court costs are 30% less than High Court costs, which means a lot to small businesses ending up in...

Seanad: Report on Grocery Goods Sector: Motion (20 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: In my first year in this House, on St. Valentine's day I brought in a special kind of apple for each of the ladies in the Seanad and I was very strictly ticked off for gender discrimination. I think it was called a Love apple. I welcome the Minister of State. I am very honoured that both Senator Mary White and Senator Mary Ann O'Brien had nice things to say about me. Like the Minister of...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: A few weeks ago I raised the issue of an Irish student living abroad with his parents who wishes to attend university in this country. He was told he would be treated as a non-Irish citizen. It seems outrageous that he would have to pay very high fees on the basis of being considered a non-EU citizen. The same situation has occurred again. I am sure it is an anomaly and that it was not...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (27 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome to the House three Mitchell scholars, Harold McNamara, Lucas Mason-Brown and Emily Fritze. We are delighted and honoured to have them here and wish them well.

Seanad: Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, back to the House. Before she was demoted to the Lower House some years ago, she played an active role here. All Members support this Bill. Senator Jillian van Turnhout said she planned to improve it on Committee Stage. I look forward to seeing her proposals. I commend the work done by the Government in this area and this landmark...

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (27 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment. I cannot improve on what the Senator stated except to state that the words we used on Second Stage and Committee Stage were a reminder of the need for this legislation. We noted the need for this legislation. It is not enough to be reminded unless we are also reminded of the savings that are anticipated. The amendment states, "The Minister shall submit to the...

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (27 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment. It has been explained very well by Senator Barrett. We live in a democracy in which the Oireachtas is elected. We have neglected the supervisory role that the Oireachtas should play. This amendment is an ideal way to address that issue. I served on a previous finance committee approximately five years ago. If we had this power then we would have ensured that the...

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (27 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I second Senator Barrett’s amendment. The point he makes is that anyone can make a mistake. We had an interesting visit today from scholars benefitting from the George Mitchell scholarship. I remember when the Bill setting up the scholarship was going through the House. The purpose of the scholarship was to enable students to study in the State, the main objective which was peace....

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Nov 2013)

Feargal Quinn: Senator Mary White has raised the issue of Russian adoption again and I have also discussed the matter. Yesterday I discussed the problem with the Minister. Clearly, her heart is in the right place but, as Senator White has said, that is not enough. We must encourage the Minister to find a solution. I gather that the matter is in the hands of the Attorney General and that is where the...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Dec 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I support Senator David Norris when he talks about the great work Alice Leahy is doing in TRUST, particularly her effort to get the cold weather hostel off the ground. If there is anything the Leader can do to draw attention to this, it is an issue worthy of support, particularly at this time. Senator Norris has spoken about it very well. I would like to draw attention to what is happening...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment. They say an actor should never follow children or animals on to the stage. I feel the same following Senator Barrett because he covers and explains everything so well that there is almost nothing more on which I can touch. I have some knowledge of the administration costs. I refer to the list the Senator gave which should be included. The first is administration...