Results 3,021-3,040 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I understand the Minister of State's point and the reception we are getting to understand the point we are trying to make is clear. I will withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I found it very interesting to get involved in this Bill and to seek help, particularly that of the Minister of State's officials. I was hoping to see them yesterday, and while I could not make it on that occasion, I appreciate the offer of help. It is a much better Bill now than it was when it started. It has come about from the work the Minister of State's officials and this House have...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I do not want to get involved in the question of the teachers' dispute, although I know that around the world, there are so many areas, countries, provinces and states where teachers are demanding the right to assess their pupils. I want to talk about education. I attended the awards for the leaving certificate applied. This is a reminder of the leaving certificate applied, which is now 19...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Audit: FIT Limited (25 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The witnesses are very welcome. We have heard them discuss some of these topics previously. One of the areas that excites but also worries me is the number of vacancies that exist. We seem to be slow in developing things. I was interested to learn that Mr. Davitt was formerly a bricklayer and was then able to change direction. I recently presented awards for the applied leaving...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Irish tax system was mentioned yesterday and some interesting figures have been published recently in that regard. They show that Irish companies spend 80 hours per year in organising their tax affairs, compared to Germany which spends 218 hours. In other words, we are very efficient in our tax system and, on that basis, we are also efficient in our ability to collect tax. We may...

Seanad: Public Service Management (Transparency of Boards) Bill 2014: Leave to Withdraw (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, leave be granted to withdraw the Public Service Management (Transparency of Boards) Bill 2014.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2014: Motion to Discharge Order for Second Stage (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move: That the Order for Second Stage for the Social Welfare and Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2014 be discharged and that the Bill be withdrawn.The Government took that in line last week and passed it.

Seanad: Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2012: Motion to Discharge Committee Stage (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move: That the Order of the Seanad that the Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2012 be considered in committee of the whole Seanad be discharged and that the Bill be withdrawn.The Minister agreed to introduce legislation to do precisely what I have set down. It has actually become law.

Seanad: Building Control (Carbon Monoxide Detection) Bill 2014: Motion to Discharge Committee Stage (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move: That the Order of the Seanad that the Building Control (Carbon Monoxide Detection) Bill 2014 be considered in committee of the whole Seanad be discharged and that the Bill be withdrawn.I am withdrawing this because the Minister has pointed out that he has the ability to do it and will do it.

Seanad: Availability of Certain Medication: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I am sorry I was not present to hear his statement.

Seanad: Availability of Certain Medication: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I will leave it up to the Chair to decide.

Seanad: Availability of Certain Medication: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister may have dealt with this query already, but some pharmacists believe the Government's move to reduce the price means that there will be a shortage of supplies. I do not know whether that will be the case. My other point is that in Greece and one or two other countries when they ran short of money they were not able to buy the right medications because the big pharmaceutical...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Today is Thanksgiving Day and there is much for which we can be thankful. I have in mind two newly appointed Ministers, both of whom are former Members of this House, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is announcing today...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Dec 2014)

Feargal Quinn: We were all horrified at the death of that young man so close to this building. While this sort of thing is happening all the time, the fact that it happened so close to this building has jolted us. I congratulate Senator Craughwell on the manner in which he appealed to the Leader to have a debate on the matter. Based on what the Leader said, the Senator went to him yesterday and gave him...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Dec 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I agree entirely with Senator Coghlan's remarks with regard to the Exchequer returns, behind which is another figure that is even more promising, namely, the competitiveness figures which indicate that Ireland has become much more competitive. That we allowed our costs to get out of control during the good years caused real difficulty. All of the current statistics in terms of...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Dec 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Action Plan for Jobs 2014: Statements (3 Dec 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister and it was delightful to hear him speak today. He did not read from any script and his speech came from the heart. His ability and control of his brief is very clear. Yesterday, I attended the innovation showcase and if anybody else had the chance to go, they know it was worthwhile. I only gave myself a couple of hours there but I could have spent much longer there....

Seanad: Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (3 Dec 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is very welcome and I am delighted to see him in the House again. This short Bill, the Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2014 is worthy of consideration. I am delighted to see that the Minister of State will consider it. Senator Crown and his team have come up with very sensible legislation. I believe it is good for the customer, which is the taxpayer, who will not have to...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I agree entirely with Senator Bacik. Yesterday's debate on the Action Plan for Jobs was very useful and it covered a very wide area. We used up all the time and had to squeeze in the final speakers. Another document was published yesterday by the National Competitiveness Council. It contains a considerable amount. It describes what we can do to create jobs, help the economy and ensure we...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Second Stage (4 Dec 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I thank Senator Barrett for allowing me to come in at this stage. I wish to raise a number of issues, but before doing so, I welcome the Minister of State again. We seem to be seeing quite a lot of him, as he comes before us on a regular basis. I have raised before the many problems relating to pensions and what will happen in future. In particular, I wish to raise what has already been...