Results 281-300 of 602 for speaker:Fiach MacConghail

Seanad: Order of Business (2 May 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: I have two questions for the Leader. On Sunday I was proud to be one of the sponsors of Walk in the Woodlands at Avondale House, the former home of Charles Stewart Parnell. The event was organised to draw attention and opposition to the sale of the harvesting rights of Coillte. I had to leave a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine to debate the...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 May 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: My second question relates to an Adjournment matter that I raised with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, on 17 April. I ask the Leader to comment on the Government's response to the development of an extensive nuclear power facility at Hinkley Point, Somerset, in the UK. I congratulate An Taisce on its legal challenge in the UK courts. I seek a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sale of Coillte's Harvesting Rights: Discussion (Resumed) with IMPACT (14 May 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: I am not a member of this committee so I thank the Vice Chairman for allowing me to speak because I am passionate about this matter. That is why I am attending this committee meeting rather than the committee of which I am a member. Whether one agrees with the point being made, and I am utterly opposed to the sale, it was a very cogent and clear presentation. The innovative decision to go...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sale of Coillte's Harvesting Rights: Discussion (Resumed) with IMPACT (14 May 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: Was IMPACT consulted on the report from Goodbody Stockbrokers?

Seanad: Decade of Centenaries Programme of Commemorations: Statements (22 May 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. I welcome the Minister to the House today and thank him for giving us a further insight into his vision and plans for this series of commemorations over the next while. I also congratulate the Minister, in particular, for the Century Ireland project, which is a unique and brilliant way to begin the debate on commemoration. It is...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: I express my solidarity - and I hope that of the House - because of the extraordinary occurrences in Greece, where the Greek public television broadcaster has been shut. It is not necessarily an exaggeration to think there is a significant movement that has placed public broadcasting under threat. We can also see that happening in Ireland. I call on the Leader to arrange a debate on the...

Seanad: Youth Unemployment: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit McGinley anseo sa Teach. I also acknowledge the response by the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton and do not doubt her bona fides, sincerity or idealism. I applaud to a great extent the JobBridge programme of which I have personal experience. Broadly speaking, the spirit of what it seeks to achieve is commendable and worth...

Seanad: Youth Unemployment: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: I was not speaking about the Senator, but the Minister's notes and the Government amendment.

Seanad: Youth Unemployment: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: I am referring to the notes that the Minister supplied. The plays of Tom Murphy have such resonance for today's audiences because they deal with the disease of emigration. There is no acknowledgment that emigration has played an important part in the falling unemployment rates. According to the National Youth Council of Ireland, NYCI, the Government is failing to address youth emigration...

Seanad: Youth Unemployment: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: It is almost up.

Seanad: Youth Unemployment: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: In Ireland, figures published last week put youth unemployment at 15.9%.

Seanad: Youth Unemployment: Motion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: David McWilliams has stated that, unless we resolve this issue, the scar will continue. I thank the Acting Chairman for being flexible and giving me a couple of seconds more than the six minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Junior Certificate History Curriculum: Discussion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: As I am not a member of the joint committee, I appreciate the courtesy shown by the Chairman in offering me an opportunity to speak on an issue on which I hold passionate views. I have not been taught, instructed or examined by any of the witnesses - maybe I was in the bold class. I will make a couple of points before asking a couple of questions. A fascinating and positive aspect of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Junior Certificate History Curriculum: Discussion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: Assuming both history and geography have a certain type of attraction, are statistics available on the number of schools in which history is being offered at leaving certificate in comparison to geography?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Junior Certificate History Curriculum: Discussion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: Does Ms Naughton agree that those figures do not paint a picture?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Junior Certificate History Curriculum: Discussion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: May I get clarification on the question of the hours and whether there is a disparity between HTAI and the Department on the number of hours per week offered?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Junior Certificate History Curriculum: Discussion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: Excuse me-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Junior Certificate History Curriculum: Discussion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: We should keep the S-word out of this discussion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Junior Certificate History Curriculum: Discussion (12 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: I accept what the history teachers are saying, that in principle more than 90% of them agree with the junior certificate framework model. I do not wish to put words in their mouth but I believe Ms Crowley said that, and that the issue is how all these statements undermine the teaching of history as opposed to endorsing it. It could be a case of dealing with the matter subject by subject. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2013)

Fiach MacConghail: I, too, welcome Senator Norris back to the Seanad. He was missed. I am glad he is continuing his curmudgeonly view, in particular in regard to prostitution. I commend the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on its work on the issue and, in particular, I acknowledge the work of Seanad Éireann in pursuing it. The issue has been under consideration for almost two years. It...