Results 1,401-1,420 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne
- Seanad: Hospital Services. (16 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, to the House. I tabled a similar motion on cystic fibrosis a few months ago and I expect I will table another one in a few months time because one of the weaknesses in politics is that we are good at raising issues but the difficulty is following through on them and ensuring progress has been made. I seek an update on the progress that has...
- Seanad: Hospital Services. (16 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: Do I take it from the Minster of State's reply that funding has been provided for the recruitment of a consultant respiratory physician? Has the vacancy been advertised? If so, is there a difficulty filling it? Why is there a delay? The Minister of State said the working group is due to report shortly. Does "shortly" mean weeks, months or years?
- Seanad: Energy Strategy: Motion. (17 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Smith. It is like musical chairs here with Ministers of State coming and going. I hope this Minister of State shows more enthusiasm for this topic than the previous one who looked bored out of his mind. If the Minister of State and the Government could pick up on the energy from Senator Norris's contribution, perhaps we could have a more...
- Seanad: Energy Strategy: Motion. (17 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: It is not enthusiasm; it is acceptance.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (23 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: Eircom has been bought for the fifth time. While it is a good deal for the management and employees, is it a good deal for the customer? Babcock & Brown has taken on a considerable debt. How will the company manage that debt and will it impact on the delivery of broadband and the telephone service? I doubt it can get any worse. If one wishes to have an Eircom telegraph pole moved, the...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (23 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: It is worth noting that 20 years agoââ
- Seanad: Order of Business. (23 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: On the issue of Aer Lingus, which was raised by other speakers, 20 years ago it cost â¬750 to fly to London. This shows what can happen with privatisation. The difficulty is that when the aviation industry goes through a slump, as sometimes happens, the Government cannot invest in Aer Lingus. There must be a decision on Aer Lingus. The Government has made a mess of it.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (23 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: I was referring to Eircom.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (24 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: I welcome yesterday's Supreme Court decision and call on the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to bring forward legislation urgently to take account of the ruling. I am aware of one particular case where a young man met a girl who was drinking with her father in a pub. Relations took place between the young man and the girl, following which he was prosecuted for having sex with a...
- Seanad: School Transport: Statements. (24 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: Fewer students are using it.
- Seanad: School Transport: Statements. (24 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I will start by reminding the House of the shambles last August when the decision was made to end the three for two seating arrangement. It was the correct decision but it could not have been taken at a worse time of the year. August, which is normally a quiet time for politiciansââ
- Seanad: School Transport: Statements. (24 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: I certainly would not suggest August when the VECs were forced to act under significant pressure. The Department owes an apology to those staff for the manner in which this was done. We all attended public meetings, including Government backbenchers, and no one criticised the policy but the announcement, however, should have been made before August. I phoned the Minister for Education and...
- Seanad: School Transport: Statements. (24 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: It does not inspire confidence when such a major issue is not mentioned. Fine Gael would support an independent audit of school transport, as outlined by the Taoiseach. Senator Ormonde remarked that there are fewer children now travelling by school bus than ever before but the school bus budget has spiralled out of control in the context of the numbers travelling. We must remember that other...
- Seanad: School Transport: Statements. (24 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: It would not be August.
- Seanad: School Transport: Statements. (24 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: I have spoken to people in VECs.
- Seanad: School Transport: Statements. (24 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: Why is it not flagged earlier?
- Seanad: School Transport: Statements. (24 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: That relates to the number of students.
- Seanad: Health Services. (24 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: At present, there is a delay in the vetting procedure for people who have been approved to work in the home care sector. They have been appointed and have been allocated their patients but they have not been vetted. Could the Minister examine this issue?
- Seanad: Order of Business. (30 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: Will the Leader arrange a debate on housing? I asked previously for a debate on this with specific reference to the elderly, single people and childless couples who are discriminated against by local authorities. Recently a person who came to my office told me how he was sleeping on a friend's couch. His marriage had broken up and he was paying his former wife â¬1,800 per month in...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (31 May 2006)
Fergal Browne: I was going to raise the point made by Senator Finucane, whereby not alone has Mr. A been released from prison, but the DPP has dropped cases that were pending because of the ruling, which is of great concern to the families concerned. All they received was a phone call from the DPP and no counselling or advice was given to them. I call on the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to...