Results 901-920 of 1,451 for speaker:Michael Finucane

Seanad: Aviation Action Plan: Statements. (31 May 2005)

Michael Finucane: It was said at the start of the debate. Was Senator Mansergh in the House? If he was, he must have not been listening.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: This House owes a debt of gratitude not only to the "Prime Time" programme but also to the High Court judge who refused an injunction to the owners of the nursing home involved. His decision did the country a great service. There has been significant media coverage of this issue in recent days but had the injunction been granted we would probably not be discussing it today. This House should...

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: There is always one.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (1 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Nursing Homes: Statements. (1 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: I would like to welcome our friends from Cavan in the Visitors Gallery, including Councillor Peter McVitty, his wife Susan and the delegation.

Seanad: Nursing Homes: Statements. (1 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Nursing Homes: Statements. (1 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: Senator Feeney will have a chance to respond.

Seanad: Nursing Homes: Statements. (1 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: I welcome this discussion. This morning I acknowledged the role of the High Court judge who refused the owners of the Leas Cross nursing home an injunction and allowed the "Prime Time" programme to be broadcast. By doing so he has done a great service to the nation in highlighting the issue. I agree that many nursing homes are run very efficiently. A brother-in-law of mine contracted multiple...

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: For the second day in a row, I rise to pay tribute to a member of the Judiciary. Today I pay tribute to Mr. Justice Morris on his report while I paid tribute yesterday to Mr. Justice Clarke for refusing an injunction to prevent the showing of Monday's "Prime Time" programme. Mr. Morris deserves to be complimented. So also do a Member of this House, Senator Higgins, and a Member of the Dáil,...

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: They began the exposé of Garda activities. They may have courted a certain amount of unpopularity as a result of their decision but they have been vindicated. The rooting out of Garda misconduct in Donegal will be healthier for the Garda in the long term. The vast majority of gardaí one meets are embarrassed by and ashamed of what happened in Donegal. Surely the McBrearty family have been...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (2 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: I would like to share time with Senator Coonan.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (2 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: This legislation has been in the pipeline since 2001. The original Bill was dropped, and it was supposed to be modified in the context of new legislation. There have been acres of documentation in that regard, and issues have been reported in detail. I am disappointed that the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Fahey, is not here today. I sat...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs. (2 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: While I am disappointed the Minister for Education and Science is not in attendance, I respect the fact that the Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, is here. He will have an appreciation of the matter I intend to raise. The Minister of State is well aware of the very active boards of action management group in County Limerick. The group was formed in...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs. (2 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: Does the Minister of State have anything to say about the children who had to wait so long for psychological assessment by the Department of Education and Science? There appears to be a freeze in regard to one-to-one tuition that should be provided for these pupils with special needs. Many of these pupils are losing 15% of their educational potential because this resource is not being...

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: I support Senator O'Toole's call for a debate on the findings of the commission on alcohol. The commission did not report exclusively on café bars. There are many other components to its proposals and it would be worthwhile to debate them. I am glad the Minister has dropped the café bar proposal. The Fine Gael parliamentary party opposed it not just on the basis of vintners' representations...

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: At least the Leader is consistent.

Seanad: Grangegorman Development Agency Bill 2004: Second Stage. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: When is it proposed to sit again?

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: When I spoke on the Adjournment on 25 May last about the delays in the Kilmallock sewerage scheme, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government responded by saying he has "always been impatient of excessive bureaucracy and paper shifting". He indicated that funding is being provided "for more than 20 locations throughout County Limerick, where planning of new infrastructure...

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2005)

Michael Finucane: It is more than seven years since the Good Friday Agreement. There have been many false dawns together with much frustration and fudging. David Trimble's political career is over and support for the SDLP has eroded while Sinn Féin's support has increased. The marching season is about to commence. I wish the Taoiseach good luck in London later where he will meet the DUP. He is focused on...