Results 981-1,000 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage. (22 Mar 2005)

Fergal Browne: ——is in Offaly, how does one get to Dublin?

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: It is time we invited the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to the House to discuss Garda numbers and recent media reports which indicate huge variations throughout the country in the ratio of gardaí to local population. This is worrying. In the Carlow-Kildare division, the ratio is one garda per 600 people while in Cork the ratio is one garda per 200 people. The Minister should...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: I apologise to the Members opposite for upsetting them this evening. Some of them felt that we——

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: We should have rolled over and stated that the Government was wonderful.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: Unfortunately, that is not the case and it is certainly not the role of the Opposition. Senator Brady thinks the current Minister for Education and Science is wonderful. Her main advantage is that she is not the former Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey. All she has done thus far is to undo the damage he did in his short reign as Minister. That is particularly the case in the area of special needs.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: The standardisation of the school year is now turning out to be a farce. It actually promotes greater absenteeism from schools. Parents can no longer afford to bring their children on holidays. As everyone is off at the same time, holiday packages are sold at a peak price. This has resulted in children missing more time from school. I challenge Members opposite to look into that issue. More...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: It is Progressive Democrats policy.

Seanad: Grant Payments. (13 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Noel Ahern, to the House. I would like to raise a simple and clear-cut matter. I ask the Government to review the operation by the various local authorities of the disabled persons grant scheme. I do not refer to Carlow County Council in particular, because it operates a very good...

Seanad: Grant Payments. (13 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: When will the review be completed? In future we will not need these grants because modern buildings include downstairs toilets and similar facilities. The problems with the houses built in the 1950s and 1960s are coming back to haunt us. It is not a long-term problem. I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply and urge the Department to focus on this for the next few years to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: I agree with Senator Bannon on the pollution problems. In Carlow town there is a problem due to cryptosporidium in the water supply, which is directly related to the point made by Senator Bannon. That is a real problem facing people who must boil water. The Government should take this issue on board given that people have been hospitalised because of it. Will the Minister for Justice,...

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: Particularly in rural areas.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: I ask the Acting Leader to invite the Minister for Education and Science to come to the House to explain the following excerpt from a Department press statement: "124 schools to progress through the architectural planning process". I do not know who writes these press statements but they are very difficult to understand. I know of two primary schools in Carlow that are listed. I telephoned...

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: We urgently need to have a debate on this matter and to get the Minister to come to the House. She likes drip feeding stories. At least with her predecessor, Deputy Noel Dempsey, we knew where we stood on the school building programme. Now we have no idea how it is progressing and schools are completely confused. Schools are mired in the architectural planning process and do not know whether...

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: I seek an urgent debate and would appreciate if the Acting Leader could provide me with an answer before the end of the day. We are being very badly treated. Members of the Oireachtas deserve better than these information leaflets which clearly lack detail.

Seanad: Accident and Emergency Services: Statements. (21 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Tánaiste and her officials to the House. She referred to people being kept on trolleys overnight but her Government has been in office for eight years. It is very shocking that a person could present at an accident and emergency unit and leave in a worse state. This was highlighted in the report by the Health and Safety Authority. It stated that as a result of overcrowding...

Seanad: Accident and Emergency Services: Statements. (21 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: When are we going to have that system?

Seanad: Accident and Emergency Services: Statements. (21 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: It is April now. We are down 200,000 medical cards.

Seanad: Accident and Emergency Services: Statements. (21 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: We are down 200,000 medical cards.

Seanad: Accident and Emergency Services: Statements. (21 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: What about the income guidelines?

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (27 Apr 2005)

Fergal Browne: I second the amendment.