Results 1,481-1,500 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits. (27 Jun 2006)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, to the House. I recently called to a constituent who explained that her daughter was born with a serious birth defect. She literally requires 24-hour care, seven days a week. She made a simple point to me. In her case, where she must constantly supervise her child, would it not make more sense for her to be given extended paid maternity...

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits. (27 Jun 2006)

Fergal Browne: I would like to make two quick points.

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits. (27 Jun 2006)

Fergal Browne: I know that, but I would like to make two quick points. The Minister of State referred to babies being hospitalised and the payment being temporarily suspended. My case refers to a child taken out of hospital and based at home who still requires round-the-clock care. The scheme is based on stamps, but the person may not have the necessary stamps. If someone is to look after her baby at home...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Jun 2006)

Fergal Browne: I repeat the call made yesterday about the urgent need for a debate next week on the compensation package for the sugar beet industry. It will be decided in July and it will be vital that the Minister gives us her views and hears what we have to say so a good decision can be reached.

Seanad: A Strategy for Cancer Control in Ireland: Statements. (28 Jun 2006)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. His speech was good but it reminded me of someone about to paint a room, it filled a lot of cracks. The opening paragraph of the report states that 20,000 Irish people develop cancer every year and 7,500 die from the disease. One in four people will die from cancer and 60% of cancer patients die within five years of diagnosis. Cancer incidence...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Fergal Browne: I agree with previous speakers on the need for a measured debate on the issue of stem cell research. The Oireachtas health committee had a meeting yesterday on the related issue of assisted human reproduction. It is regrettable that it was leaked to The Irish Times even though it was agreed at the meeting it would not be reported. I compliment the work of Senator Henry on that important...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Fergal Browne: ——or input into the source of that stem cell research. We should have a debate in the early autumn on this important issue. One person whose views on the matter we must hear is the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children. We now have a report from the commission. We are due a report from the Oireachtas health committee shortly. It is now time for action on this matter. There is no...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: This week, many of this country's thousands of primary school teachers are giving up the first week of their summer holidays to do courses. Can the Leader ask the Minister for Education and Science to explain why the teachers will receive just three days of annual or personal leave in return for spending five days doing such courses? Will the Minister consider providing substitute cover while...

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: I wish to share my time with Senator Terry. I welcome the Tánaiste and her officials to the House. I am a bit puzzled over this Bill. What should have been a very simple Bill has now turned into a complex one, which is regrettable. When the Bill was published and people saw its Title,the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006, they expected it to be a stand-alone Bill...

Seanad: Sugar Beet Industry. (5 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: I wish to share my time with Senators Bradford and John Paul Phelan. It would be useful, before the House rises for the summer recess, to raise the issue of the sugar beet industry again. My colleagues, Senators John Phelan and Bradford have raised the matter recently. It is important at this stage to find out exactly how many submissions have been received by the Department of Agriculture...

Seanad: Sugar Beet Industry. (5 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: I wish to ask a question arising from the Minister of State's reply. He may not be able to answer this question now, in which case he can report back to me on it. The Minister of State said that "Sugar factories that had closed before 1 July 2005, such as the Carlow factory, do not come within the scope of the restructuring scheme". We asked on numerous occasions whether we would be entitled...

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, lines 33 to 36 and in page 4, lines 1 to 27, to delete paragraph (b). I welcome the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children and her officials to the House. This amendment will ultimately remove the scientific tests for hepatitis C for people and leave matters as they were before, that is, dependent on clinical diagnosis which seems to have worked very...

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: Listening to the Tánaiste one wonders if this is a legal rather than a medical issue. I accept what she says, that the tribunal rejected the claim of a person who subsequently went to court, where a different ruling was obtained. I wonder if we are going about this the wrong way. Should the legal aspect of this draconian measure be examined? It is amazing that a court would take a different...

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: Perhaps the writer was psychic and foretold the day when Deputy Twomey will be Minister.

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: I am still baffled about the court case. Did the State appeal it when the award was made? I cannot understand how in the case of the person who did not prove receipt of contaminated blood and whose complaint the tribunal did not uphold, the court overruled that finding. While I accept the Tánaiste's point, and am happy with the scientific test, I wonder was the court decision appealed and if...

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, line 30, to delete "by substituting" and substitute the following: "by— (a) inserting the following after paragraph (a): "(b) a person who (i) has been diagnosed by a consultant hepatologist and adjudged by him or her to most likely have Hepatitis C, and (ii) has no risk factor that would indicate a risk of contraction of Hepatitis C other than the receipt...

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: I move amendment No. 3: In page 4, line 46, to delete "or". Amendments Nos. 3 and 4 are purely technical and are dependent on amendment No. 5 being passed. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, to the House. I am aware he has been in the Dáil Chamber for the past couple of hours.

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: I move amendment No. 6: In page 5, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: "(v) who was a minor on the date on which he or she was diagnosed positive for Hepatitis C or HIV,". The purpose of this amendment is to provide specifically for those persons who were minors when they were diagnosed with hepatitis C or HIV.

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: I move amendment No. 7: In page 5, line 10, after "HIV," to insert the following: "but these sections shall not apply in relation to any claim for compensation to the Tribunal before the 20th of June 2006,". This amendment will ensure the new Act does not affect those persons who made claims to the tribunal prior to 20 June 2006.

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

Fergal Browne: In her speech on Second Stage yesterday, the Tánaiste referred to certain age limits in respect of some aspects of the insurance scheme. She said: No applications will be accepted from claimants who are over 75 years of age, even during the first year of the scheme. Cover will cease for every claimant who reaches that age. Senator White has led the way in the House on the issue of ageism....