Results 2,981-3,000 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2014: First Stage (4 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Yesterday a number of Senators raised the problem of diesel laundering in Border counties. The system we have does not work and we must do something about it. That part of the country is almost like mafia territory. The Revenue Commissioners estimate 150 filling stations do not obey the law and use fuel with a dye in it. We were told the new dye would work and that it would be impossible...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I agree with a great deal of Senator Whelan's comments. Regrettably, many of us did not get an opportunity to debate the matter yesterday. I was impressed by the Minister, Deputy Kelly. He spoke well and was clear in what he stated. I wish to address a specific point on which I want to reconvene the debate. According to the Minister, "over 800 km of the water pipes in Dublin are well in...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I add my voice to those of Senators who have spoken about the late Mr. Brian Farrell whom I got to know in UCD. However, I do not have stories about him to compare with those of other Senators, but I regarded him very highly. I was away yesterday and did not realise the former Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Joe Walsh, had died. Senator Terry Leyden has mentioned that Mr. Walsh was a Member...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014: Discussion (11 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is very welcome and I am glad to see him.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014: Discussion (11 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I am happy to hand over.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014: Discussion (11 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I will concentrate on a particular point of concern, which is head 15. Head 15 provides that the rate of basic pay recommended by the court may be in excess of the national minimum wage. I have always had a concern about competition across borders. We have one of the highest minimum wage rates in Europe and, until recently, also had one of its highest unemployment rates. There is a link...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014: Discussion (11 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I accept that, but I have a concern. In the years ahead I look forward to seeing whether it works out. I wish the Minister of State well with the legislation, but let us make sure it will work.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: There is a crisis in the private pension sector. The leader of the industry stated recently that confidence has never been so low in the sector. Senator Darragh O'Brien recently raised the huge crisis for the pension schemes in Dublin Airport Authority and Aer Lingus but I do not think we have debated the wider issue of pensions recently. I suggest it is time to have a debate on what is...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment. I do not need to repeat everything that Senator Barrett said but we had a very good debate here previously. We understood that we were being listened to and heard and that attention would be given to the cases made. To come back on Report Stage with absolutely nothing seems strange. It is not the aim of this House to just be a talking shop and not achieve something....

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I support what Senator Barrett has said. These amendments have been tabled in order to help the Minister. The Minister has experience of the Seanad herself and knows that we are not all that uppity - although we are a little bit uppity - as to believe that if we initiate a Bill in this House it is a pity to take it away and have it changed in the other House. That is the way things go on,...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment. I do not wish to repeat what Senator Barrett has stated but the aim of this is to avoid confusion and help the Minister. I hope it is taken into consideration by her, if not in this House certainly in the Dáil.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment. At a time when almost everything is moving towards more and more information being made freely available, on this occasion it seems to be a step backwards. I can understand one or two of the points that have been made by Senator Sean D. Barrett, but it seems to be far too broad, far too wide, and I urge the Minister to seriously reconsider restricting the amount from...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I will speak to section 1. Last year, 600,000 people voted to retain the Seanad. They did not intend to retain it as it was; they intended to have a reformed House. This Bill is an effort to bring about that reform. I listened very carefully to Senator Norris and I think that is exactly the reason for having a Committee Stage debate, so that we can discuss and debate these things and...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: This is a Second Stage debate and it is very useful.

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: My apologies, I meant to say Committee Stage.

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Paudie Coffey, a former active Member of the House. I have not seen him in the House since his appointment. I welcome the words he used. He might have got some help in drafting them, but he was making points about the Bill. Members who were involved in drafting the Bill put a great deal of effort, thought and time into it. Nobody is saying it is...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I do not know if we have had a debate in recent times on post offices around the country. Post offices are facing serious threats. It is reported that An Post sent a letter to postmasters - I do not think it was published - indicating that the distribution of dole payments through post offices was likely to be discontinued. This would mean a cut in income of between €4,000 and...