Results 2,941-2,960 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I do not have a beard but I can understand how you could make that mistake on occasions. I understand the Minister's point and that it is not the prime purpose of the legislation to do some of the things that have been done here. However, Senator Norris makes a strong case in regard to marriage and civil partnership. I am unsure whether that should not be evident, particularly for...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 14: In page 21, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following:"(5) If the material specified in paragraph (e) of subsection (2) is not published and made available in accordance with this section or the material so published and purporting to be the material aforesaid is incomplete or inaccurate and a person shows— (a) that he or she was not aware of a rule,...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I understand what the Minister is saying and I accept his reply.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I will speak briefly to amendments Nos. 28 and 30. It will be necessary to ensure electronic information is provided. Let us take the issue of obtaining records on Anglo Irish Bank, a point made by Senator Barrett. If we had known what was going on in that bank, could we have tackled the problem earlier and saved taxpayers billions of euro? I hope the Minister will be open to accepting...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: That is correct but there must be some link. Reference was made to a company that was awarded a major contract from the State.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister is correct in the case of Anglo Irish Bank.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Yes, it was not contracting to the State.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I accept the Minister's point. Amendment No. 30 proposes that the codes may include provisions to publicly document cases in which bodies that are subject to freedom of information legislation fail to release information, including the time it takes for such bodies to release information. The amendment has been tabled in response to the launch in 2011 of the website, FOIA.gov, which allows...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Disability Support Services Provision (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Yes.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Seanad Elections (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is welcome to the House, particularly in respect of this problem. My attention was drawn to this matter by Mr. Robbie Sinnott, who is in the Visitors' Gallery. He is visually impaired. The Taoiseach has declared his intention to respond to the referendum on the abolition of the Seanad by introducing minimal reform of the university seats prior to the next election....

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Seanad Elections (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I appreciate the reply. This is a challenge, and the question is whether the Government can solve the challenge. I am delighted to hear that there is research going on and I am delighted to hear some steps are being taken. The first thing that must be done is to recognise the real difficulty there is for people who are blind and who cannot have a secret ballot without having somebody else...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I support Senator Zappone’s call on the Leader to allow time for Committee Stage of her Bill on Seanad reform. As he knows, we passed this Bill on Second Stage way back in March last year. Since then, there was a referendum this week last year in which the people said they did not want to support the Government’s move to abolish the Seanad. Nothing has happened since then...

Seanad: Companies Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (30 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is welcome. He has used the words "semi-State company" about six times. I recall somebody saying to me some years ago that we should not use that term; they are all State companies. They are not semi-State, although there may be some semi-State in them. They should be called State sponsored companies rather than semi-State. I believe that would be the more correct...

Seanad: Companies Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (30 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: They are State-owned.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Oct 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The other day I introduced the topic of motor taxation, motor insurance, NCT testing and the labels we have to stick in the windscreens of our cars, which appear out-of-date and old-fashioned compared to what more modern countries are doing. Interestingly, the British introduced that system today. From midnight last night, drivers are no longer required to put stickers on their windscreens...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (1 Oct 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Thank you very much, a Chathaoirligh. I am taking a slightly different role today because I have heard so many wonderful stories about our friend, Eddie Haughey. I got to know him very well. The very first time I met him, he and his wife, Mary, and I and my wife, Denise, were at a dinner here in Dublin. I was introduced to him as Senator Feargal Quinn. It must have been about 1993; I had...

Seanad: Fluoridation of Water: Motion (1 Oct 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move: That Seanad Éireann notes the fundamental human right of every Irish citizen to choose whether or not they have their water medicated with fluoride given that they are, from 1 October 2014, paying for it.

Seanad: Fluoridation of Water: Motion (1 Oct 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Thank you, a Chathaoirligh, and I thank the Minister of State for coming in for this debate which I think will be very interesting and one that I have not heard debated here. It was debated before in this House but it was quite some time ago. I, like Senator O'Brien, do not remember a big debate about this in 1963. It must have been a very emotional time when it was being done. It is...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Oct 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I agree entirely with Senators Barrett and Hayden. There is little doubt that we must invest. It has been interesting to hear the Government state for a number of years that one reason Ireland has had successful foreign direct investment is because of our high standard of education. Since the onset of austerity, as we call it, resources for universities have been reduced and this would...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (2 Oct 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Leas-Chathaorleach. In regard to the point made by Senator Norris on what is private, I do not understand why we are going to include it. One of the difficulties we have is encouraging people to enter politics, certainly people who would otherwise accept an invitation to join politics and play a role. If they feel this is another restriction on their lives then it is quite...