Results 2,661-2,680 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy and Rural Development Programme: Statements (22 Jan 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister and his achievements on the CAP negotiations. He has obviously done well as it was an extremely tough job and not an easy task. I could commend the efforts of the agriculture sector, of which everybody is well aware, but instead I would like to raise a couple of issues which do not often get enough attention. I agree some farmers rely on the payments to survive but...

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2013: Second Stage (22 Jan 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is very welcome, as is this Bill. It is an admirable step in the right direction. It was interesting that Senator O'Sullivan spoke about his business experience. I had business experience as well. For about 50 years, I ran supermarkets and, in trying to look for extra customers, we taught as many people as we could basic French so they could put "Je parle...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jan 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Having listened to the speakers, I am reminded of the anniversary of that terrible tragedy which took place last year and the fact that we are the worst users of cash and cheques in Europe. We do not use modern technology in regard to financial transactions of various kinds. No other country in Europe still uses cheques to the extent that we use them or require the same amount of protection...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Recently the Minister for Education and Skills referred to the amount of time allocated to teaching religion in schools. I believe, however, he has been misquoted in many cases because he did not suggest the solution was to reduce the amount of hours allocated for the teaching of religion. We have a real problem in that over many years we have developed a shorter school time period than any...

Seanad: Youth Justice Policy: Statements (28 Jan 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, is very welcome. It is always a joy to listen to her. I always find myself educated. The work being discussed today has educated me once again. I congratulate her on what has been achieved. I know she is not there yet and that she has a long way to go but some of the figures provided today, such as that youth crime has fallen each year for the past three...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (29 Jan 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister is very welcome and I am glad to see him in the House for this valuable debate. On 4 October over 634,000 people voted to ensure that the Seanad would not be abolished. I suspect that for many citizens, 4 October was the first time they had the chance to cast any type of vote relating to the Seanad. The question now is how long they will have to wait before they can have a say...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jan 2014)

Feargal Quinn: On the comments of Senators Sean D. Barrett and Catherine Noone, last night's debate was useful. One part that disappointed me was that Senator Sean D. Barrett did not get a chance to contribute, although he was present all the time. I hope he made up for it this morning in some way.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jan 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The aspect I found useful was that Members covered a much wider range of topics than they might otherwise have. In respect of the Leader's contribution, some good ideas came from it. My real difficulty is the length of time it takes to get anything done and, in this case, urgency is required. Something must be done because, as Senator Katherine Zappone mentioned last night, unless there is...

Seanad: Humanitarian Situation in Syria, South Sudan and Central African Republic: Statements (30 Jan 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for his explanation of what he is doing and what we, as a country, are doing. I remember when the first Irish troops went to Africa in 1960 and I took my then girlfriend - now my wife of over 50 years - out to Baldonnel Airport to see the troops leaving. There was an enormous sense of pride in Ireland that we were, as a nation, taking a role in...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Feb 2014)

Feargal Quinn: We had a good debate last week - perhaps not long enough - on the floods although these do not seem to have improved after it, I do not know whether the debate caused even more flooding. We must ask whether the responsibility for the floods lies with ourselves when one considers the planning permissions given over the past 20 years to enable development to take place on land that was...

Seanad: Charities Sector: Statements (4 Feb 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister to the House. I am delighted he is here because I know he is a good listener. He has had the opportunity to listen to some very pertinent points, particularly by Senator Mary Ann O'Brien, whose experience is very useful. I have been a Member for 21 years. When I first came in here, I said to the people in charge of salaries that I would like to consider donating my...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Research and Development Landscape: Minister of State (4 Feb 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister and his team and thank him for all the information he has supplied. I am very interested in the position that Ireland has managed to attain. However, have we identified the competition and what they are doing differently? I visited Singapore, Panama and New Zealand in comparatively recent years and all three countries seem to have done things differently from us....

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Feb 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I support Senator Crown's call for a debate on the Government move for Seanad reform - the supposed reform. The suggestion is also supported by Senator O'Donovan. This is the opportunity for the Taoiseach to come to the House and to say that as the Taoiseach he can make the difference by doing what has not been done before.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Feb 2014)

Feargal Quinn: However, all he is doing is putting into operation something that we, the people of Ireland, agreed to in 1979. Therefore, much more could be done. One person, one vote, should be the future for Seanad elections. It can be done easily. Senators Crown and Zappone have proposed Bills which allow for this change. We must urge the Taoiseach to proceed in this area and this is the ideal...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 1: In page 7, lines 1 and 2, to delete all words from and including “as” in line 1 down to and including line 2 and substitute the following: “up to three years old from the date of the request by the vehicle insurer, and (c) in the case of request by the vehicle insurer, the vehicle insurer is obliged to notify the insured person that they are...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I appreciate what the Minister has said. The intention of my amendment is being met if not immediately then certainly with next year's Bill. We do not always get around to achieving everything immediately, but the words the Minister has used satisfy me that the intention is there and the outcome should achieve what we set out to do. I appreciate what the Minister has done and I will...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I am happy to second Senator Barrett's amendment. I have my new driving licence and am very proud of it. I am rather embarrassed to admit that I never passed a driving test. There are some advantages to being old enough to have got a driving licence when people did not need to do a driving test. I agree entirely with Senator Barrett, who has made a very strong case.

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2014)

Feargal Quinn: No time at all.

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Yes. I got it early in January.

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I have two amendments but I wish to support Senator Barrett's amendment as well. In respect of part (iii) of that amendment, when will we introduce the legislation with regard to children and tobacco? I would love to think that will happen. I realise Senator Crown has strong views on the matter and has been urging the change for some time. I can understand the points that have been made...