Results 1,081-1,100 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: It would be good if Senator Bradford could do so. I take this opportunity to put this issue of electoral boundaries on the agenda. Even the name of the Wicklow constituency is disingenuous and it should be renamed Wicklow North-Carlow East. North-east Carlow is quite a substantial section of the constituency and that should be acknowledged. Perhaps the Minister will give it back. I doubt the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: A census is due in 2006. The Government would have us believe that it will remain in power until 2007. Recent weeks would suggest otherwise but we may return to a different political scenario in the new term. If the census is carried out in 2006 and figures are available by the time a general election is held in 2007, will there be a revisit and a rethinking of constituencies? A few months...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: What exact date?

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: It is being withdrawn.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: I will do so in the absence of Senator Bannon.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: I move amendment No. 8: In page 5, column 2, line 6, to delete "'Wicklow"' and substitute "'Wicklow-North East Carlow". There is not much need to expand on the amendment. It gives constituencies a proper title.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: Senator Bradford may speak to amendment No. 9. Amendments Nos. 8 and 11 are similar. County Sligo is with south County Leitrim and County Roscommon is with north County Leitrim.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: They have been given proper titles. Senator Bradford and I want the constituencies to be given proper geographical titles so as to reflect their contents. The constituency of Wicklow is misleading. It is County Wicklow and a sizeable section of north-east County Carlow. That could be reflected in its title.

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second and Subsequent Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Bill and the amendment proposed to the Civil Registration Act 2004. It allows registrars not employed by the HSE, and employees of the HSE who are not registrars, to receive payment. Approximately two hours ago the House debated the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005 and discussed the updating of it on a regular basis. Great advancements have been made in this area. I suggested...

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second and Subsequent Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: This is an election broadcast.

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second and Subsequent Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: I wish to be associated with those comments. I omitted to welcome the officials to the House but I thank them for their work. I hope this amendment to the Bill will ensure that they proceed with their good work.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jul 2005)

Fergal Browne: Will the Leader prioritise a debate on the MRSA superbug at the start of the next session? A lady from Kilkenny spoke to me on the issue this morning and there is significant anxiety among the public about it. Over 200 people attended a meeting in Dublin last week on the issue and over 100 attended a meeting on the issue in Kilkenny a few weeks ago. I have written to the HSE and the...

Seanad: Child Care Services. (1 Jul 2005)

Fergal Browne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. My Adjournment matter is simple. The recent announcement to allocate €45 million to child care sounds like a lot of money but, by the time it is divided up around the country, it will be disbursed before long. Only two child care facilities received allocations in Carlow-Kilkenny, in Kells, County Kilkenny and in Loughlinbridge. I congratulate Loughlinbridge on...

Seanad: Child Care Services. (1 Jul 2005)

Fergal Browne: This has been one of the better Adjournment replies I have thus far received. While the exact geographical distance may be three miles, a mountain may be situated in the middle. It might be three miles as the bird flies. Department officials might bring their measuring tapes to examine roads. As far as I am aware, a mountain lies between the two places in question.

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Sep 2005)

Fergal Browne: The raising of the issue of school transport will be welcomed by everyone in the House, although the issue was badly timed and mishandled. It was grossly unfair on the VECs, Bus Éireann and the parents and children to have such pressure put on them in July and August. The decision will be implemented for primary school children next year and will be done over a year and a half. The decision...

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements. (28 Sep 2005)

Fergal Browne: I welcome this report on early childhood, care and education. It is startling that the report shows that we have the highest population level since 1871, with children under the age of six accounting for 10%. The number of women working outside the home has increased by 60% in recent years. This is a reflection on the Government's poor planning, where it went out of its way to encourage more...

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements. (28 Sep 2005)

Fergal Browne: We have created an awful mess. Grandparents now find themselves taking a very active hands-on approach to the care of grandchildren, after rearing their own children. Their own children invariably commute, work long hours and face considerable pressure to pay mortgages and child care costs almost equal to the value of a mortgage.

Seanad: Garda Investigations: Motion. (28 Sep 2005)

Fergal Browne: I wish to share my time with Senator Feeney.

Seanad: Garda Investigations: Motion. (28 Sep 2005)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Rafferty family to the House. I sympathise with them on the death of their brother and son, Joseph. It is time for Sinn Féin to get real. We listen to its representatives every day talking about the great work the party is doing and stating it represents the marginalised in society. I always feel that all the political parties represent the marginalised. Nobody has a monopoly...

Seanad: Telecommunications Services. (29 Sep 2005)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister to the House. Two constituents of mine were on holiday in Florida recently. The wife of the constituent who contacted me gave her mobile phone to an American friend in Orlando in order that he could phone his wife in Boston. This Irish couple were able to connect to the US network on that mobile phone, which their American friend borrowed to telephone his wife. He...