Results 321-340 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I join Senator Ormonde in expressing concern about the gas explosion in Dublin last week on which the Health and Safety Authority will issue a report. It is important that that report is published immediately. This week the Commission for Energy Regulation is offering tenders for gas supply to 7,000 homes in the midlands and west. There are concerns not only in Dublin with its older...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I did not get far into the book and I did not see how that occurred.

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I was raising it only to make the point that another sport in which I have taken an interest, as have many others, in recent weeks is rugby. I was impressed at the response to Ireland's Call instead of the national anthem, by those who played rugby in Australia last week, and again this weekend, and the way the Thirty-two Counties' anthem was being used. I wonder if it is time to rethink our...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: Let us at least consider whether it is better to have a Twenty-six Counties or Thirty-two Counties anthem. If it were decided to opt for the latter, Ireland's Call might suit the part.

Seanad: Waste Management: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Noel Ahern, to the House. I congratulate him on taking the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen's place. I am sorry to hear he is indisposed. The Minister of State has given us a clear view of the policy on waste management and issues that I was not...

Seanad: National Development Plan Mid-Term Evaluation: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I wish to stretch the debate a little further. Last week, within a day or so of the publication by the ESRI of its mid-term evaluation of the national development plan, another publication appeared that is highly relevant to this discussion. The annual rankings of international competitiveness contained news for Ireland that was nothing short of...

Seanad: National Development Plan Mid-Term Evaluation: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I will do my best to improve. Two years ago, Ireland stood at 11th place in the competitiveness rankings, which was a highly respectable and desirable position. Last year we plunged from 11th place to 24th place. That was a warning, if ever there was one, that our chickens were coming home to roost. Last week's figures show we have taken another fall. We are now in 30th place. Our...

Seanad: Insurance Industry Reform: Motion. (5 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Aylward, to the House. I also welcome the contribution of the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Harney, particularly her promise to act as early as next week on this case. I wish to declare an interest which will clearly show which side I am on as far as insurance is concerned. It also relates to what is happening here...

Seanad: Insurance Industry Reform: Motion. (5 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I spoke about it this afternoon. By a happy coincidence, the Alliance for Insurance Reform, AIR, today launched a major nationwide campaign to support the Government reforms of the insurance industry and to ensure that the reforms promised for next January go through on schedule. The Tánaiste told us that if she moves on it as early as next week, we will get it through before January. This...

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: We have a rather small amount of work for today with just one Bill before the House. We had a very good debate yesterday on the ESRI mid-term review of the national development plan. A few days after that report was published, the annual competitiveness league report was published. It indicated that Ireland moved from 11th in the world in its ability to compete to 24th last year and 30th this...

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (6 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Standing up to speak after Senator Ormonde on a topic such as this I am reminded of the advice never to go on a stage with children and animals because they will upstage you. When I hear the Senator's bubble of energy and enthusiasm I feel I should not attempt to speak after her but I have the same bubble of energy about this topic. I know this...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: Will the Leader consider holding an urgent debate on the pensions crisis not only here, but also in Europe? One of the proposed solutions, the extension of the retirement age to 75 years, has recently received publicity. The matter was brought to my attention by a direction emanating from the European Union this week – it is political correctness gone over board – that recognition should...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I agree with the points Senator Finucane and Senator O'Meara made and I will not repeat them. However, when speaking about community media, Senator Finucane seemed to cover rural areas. I want to make sure we are not limiting this to rural areas. I also spoke to the Dublin community television people and they made a strong case that the difference between local and community should be...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I am sure there is no misunderstanding between me and Senator Mooney in this regard. My point was that I do not want this money to be used entirely by RTE. I was hoping that it would be used by community broadcasters. We must find a way to encourage communities to become involved. That is why I supported the amendment.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I was approached by Dóchas, representing such organisations as Gorta, Trócaire and Concern, which said there was a need to recognise the global picture. That is rather different from the multicultural attitudes of which Senator O'Meara has spoken. It is the concept of Ireland's experience in the international context. They suggested – there is something to be said for it, so I ask the...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 7a: In page 5, subsection 9(a), line 45, after "made" to insert "or amended under section 2(6)(b), and the Minister shall cause to have published by electronic means all schemes which may from time to time be in effect". The purpose of this amendment is to broaden the scope of the disclosure requirements for any schemes drawn up under the Bill. The existing provision...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I know the Minister's heart is in the right place and I agree entirely with him when he says that publication on the Internet is good practice. I know that this is done under his regime. However, it is not enough because he will not be in office for all time. It is important that others engage in good practice also. We should stitch my proposal into every Bill. When the word "publish" is...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 7b: In page 6, lines 20 and 21, to insert the following new subsection: "(2) Notwithstanding anything in subsection (1), any broadcaster receiving funding for a programme under a scheme operated pursuant to this Act shall be free to offer for sale the rights to any such programme to broadcasters outside the jurisdiction of the State.". The amendment has been proposed to...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: Senator Mooney's suggestion is admirable. I am not sure who would pay for it or what the cost would be but it should not come out of a budget provided for something else. However, I doubt that the cost would be high. The suggestion is worthy of consideration.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 7c: In page 7, line 17, after "review" to insert ", and the Minister shall, as soon as may be after receiving the review, lay a copy of it before each House of the Oireachtas and shall at the same time cause it to be published by electronic means.". This amendment is concerned with the matter of publication. The Bill provides that the details of any scheme drawn up by the...