Results 1,301-1,320 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (8 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: It shows how disingenuous the Government was and continues to be. It should not have been included in that speech. Thankfully, however, it came back to haunt the Minister later because the civil servants who were being decentralised used it as a precedent. There was a compensation package involved in the Teagasc case. People had no difficulty with the proposal to move Teagasc headquarters to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: I agree with Senator Moylan's call for a debate on the recent excellent report on sudden adult deaths. All Members will recall the tragic death of Cormac McAnallen, the former Tyrone football captain. The excellent news is that 30% of people who experience cardiac arrests can be saved by defibrillators. This equates to thousands of people in Ireland every year. These machines are small and...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: ——to move 29% of patients in nursing homes back to their homes. How many of these patients have returned home as a result of the introduction of the home care package? I imagine the figure is nothing like that which she promised. Members will have noticed the fiasco regarding the medical cards, where only 5%——

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: I am aware of that. However, I am trying to make the point that the Tánaiste has not been successful in the heath portfolio. While she has made many promises, she has not delivered on them.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: The House will debate the Lourdes hospital report shortly. Last night however, although the Government had an opportunity to back the Whistleblowers Protection Bill in the Dáil, it failed to so do. This is another example of stating one thing and doing the opposite.

Seanad: Lourdes Hospital Inquiry: Statements. (9 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to the House. I thank Senator Tuffy for sharing time with me. While I will not go over what has already been said, this report is truly shocking. This week on Vincent Browne's radio programme, there were readings from transcripts of real life cases, which brought the matter home to us all. Yesterday's "Five Seven Live" programme also played...

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: I join the other Senators who asked for an urgent debate on the sugar beet industry. Unfortunately, in January 2005 a motion on the issue was put down in this House, but the required cross-party support to strengthen the Minister's hand going into tough negotiations was not forthcoming. Our prediction then proved completely correct. The danger is now that not only has the beet industry been...

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: That does not happen in any other sector. I would welcome news of a potential takeover of Greencore, as any company would be better than Greencore. It is regrettable that we have such a weak Minister for Agriculture and Food, who has not stood up to promote the industry.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: She was warned in October 2004 about the beet industry and still did nothing.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: She sat idly by, going for the short-term easy option rather than a long-term solution.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: James Dillon, the former Minister for Agriculture, would be turning in his grave over the short-sightedness of the current Minister.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: It is worth noting that Finland had two factories, one of which is still open. It is regrettable and disgraceful that the sugar beet industry could be wiped out under Fianna Fáil. It was established by Cumann na nGael and wiped out overnight by Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: Correctly so.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: She was unaware of the outcome of one particular meeting in Brussels.

Seanad: Cancer Services: Motion. (22 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to the House. First, I want to compliment the former Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, on the excellent decision to introduce the smoking ban. The more one travels abroad, the more one realises what a positive decision it was and how generations to come will thank their lucky stars, especially passive smokers who do not want to...

Seanad: Cancer Services: Motion. (22 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: I am learning slowly.

Seanad: Cancer Services: Motion. (22 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: In 1997, the full implementation of the national cancer strategy, including centres of excellence in Dublin, Cork, Galway and eight regional centres, was promised in the Fianna Fáil manifesto. By 2001 its full implementation had been watered-down. The Fianna Fáil manifesto stated it would implement, as a matter of urgency, cervical smear testing for GMS patients for screening as well as...

Seanad: Cancer Services: Motion. (22 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: The point I make is about exercise. Unfortunately, we have more golf courses than playgrounds which suits me but not many of the children in the country. We need better sporting facilities. We cannot tell people to avoid going into pubs without giving them an alternative. Communities lack basic sporting facilities. We must keep in mind that we need to take a multi-faceted approach.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage. (28 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials, both in the House and in the antechamber. When we considered the Finance Bill two years ago I was amazed to learn there were so many Department of Finance officials both in the antechamber and in the House. Perhaps it is a reflection on the Seanad that they travel in such numbers. I was glad I heard the last few minutes of contributions....

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage. (28 Mar 2006)

Fergal Browne: The State was founded by Cumann na nGael, which laid the foundation stone in very difficult times.