Results 961-980 of 1,451 for speaker:Michael Finucane

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: Especially councillors.

Seanad: Salmon Fisheries Report: Statements. (19 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: I wish to share my time with Senator McHugh.

Seanad: Salmon Fisheries Report: Statements. (19 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: I wish to first acknowledge the work of the Chairman of the committee, Deputy O'Flynn, the members of the sub-committee and of the committee in producing this report. It was a comprehensive exercise. In order to establish the findings, they examined 45 submissions and met many interested parties. It is not the first report to be produced on the salmon resource. I am concerned that the issue...

Seanad: Salmon Fisheries Report: Statements. (19 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: I accept that the package catered for other fishermen as well. The former Minister, Deputy Woods, was hailed as a hero in Donegal a few years ago because of his achievement in getting additional funding to add more vessels to the fishing fleet.

Seanad: Salmon Fisheries Report: Statements. (19 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: After a few years, the situation changed again. Fishermen were encouraged at that time to fish for deep sea fish. They began fishing for deep sea fish but quotas were introduced at EU level so a contradictory state of affairs exists. People are waiting for decisions on the salmon issue. I am disappointed that the Shannon Estuary's spokesman was not appointed to the National Salmon Commission,...

Seanad: Salmon Fisheries Report: Statements. (19 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (19 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: I raised the matter of the urgent necessity for a new primary school in Kilfinane, County Limerick, previously in the House and also when I was a Member of the Dáil. There was great excitement in the Kilfinane area when a new school was promised during the last general election campaign. However, there is now bitter disappointment as in excess of three years has elapsed without the project...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: I am glad Senator Leyden expressed concern for the hard-pressed taxpayer but I would like him to express concern to the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs regarding a change in a scheme. An imaginative scheme, the scheme of community support for older people, was introduced in 1997. It assured elderly people, particularly pensioners and many people living alone in rural...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: It was sneaky to reduce to €300 the funding for that scheme. The Minister responsible has an abundance of funding available through the dormant accounts fund etc. I want him to increase the funding for this scheme to 90% and to put in place an emergency-type fund whereby if a person applies for this service, satisfies the criteria and is eligible for it, the security alarm can be fitted...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: The Senator would not have brought it to his own attention or to that of the Minister responsible.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: Many years ago I attended a European conference accompanied by the late former Deputy Liam Lawlor and many others. On that occasion I discovered what a larger than life character Liam was and what a sense of humour he had. In all the years since, when I met him that sense of humour never deserted him, despite his being involved in tribunals. It is with a certain sense of sadness today that we...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: All right, I shall leave out that part. I abhor what happened over the weekend. It was extremely unfortunate, it was terribly wrong and no man deserved that type of publicity. We all know the defamation laws do not apply if a person dies but in this case a terrible injustice has been done to his family. I am appalled at what happened.

Seanad: Security of the Elderly. (25 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: The easiest way to table this issue is to read from a letter that describes a situation very eloquently: I am a voluntary worker for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. I am writing regarding the scheme of community support for older people first introduced in 1997-98, now being administered by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. I am very frustrated with the way this...

Seanad: Security of the Elderly. (25 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I welcome the fact he would apportion a fund for emergency situations. A person applying now must wait until the closing date next May and might not get the security pendant until the same time next year. The situation of a group of houses in a housing estate is different from that of houses in isolated rural areas such as those in west Limerick...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: I support Senator Cox. The much vaunted Health Service Executive has caused great frustration among public representatives because it is very difficult to get information from within the system, which was previously possible with the health boards. I agree with the Senator's comments. Previous speakers have spoken about a grave matter and I am reluctant to change the subject. However, I wish...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Michael Finucane: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: Six years ago, in November 1999, the National Development Plan 2000-2006 indicated unprecedented investment in rail and roads. Six years ago, dual carriageways or motorways from Dublin to Galway, Cork, Waterford and Limerick were promised as well as unprecedented development in rail. Rail lines from Navan to Dublin and from Midleton to Cork were also promised. Is the transport announcement...

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: At the recent Ard-Fheis the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, said everything will be costed in the future. There are no costings in this plan. It is a fairytale, similar to Disneyland.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: It is only after the next election these projects will progress.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: The only thing that will happen between now and the next election is a new railway station in Portlaoise.