Results 1,501-1,520 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

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

Fergal Browne: I accept the Minister of State's response. However, I am always concerned about the inclusion of specific age limits in legislation. None of us knows when we will leave this life. A person eligible for this insurance scheme who lives to 100 years would be without coverage for 25 years. Perhaps the Minister of State will consider whether this should be amended in future.

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

Fergal Browne: My point is that a person of 75 years is no longer considered old. When people die in their 70s these days their deaths could be considered premature. Given that people are increasingly living longer, I am nervous of including a specific age limit in legislation such as this.

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

Fergal Browne: I move amendment No. 8: In page 15, to delete lines 40 to 50. This amendment relates to amendment No. 1 and refers to the testing procedure. Both Senator Ryan and I have elaborated on the several reasons for our dissatisfaction with the provisions in this regard. Given that amendment No. 1 was not accepted, however, I do not expect that this one will be either.

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

Fergal Browne: I concur with the comments made by the Minister of State in thanking the officials for the work they have put into this. I also thank the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, for appearing before the House today and yesterday, the Minister of State and the other spokespersons. Like Senator Ryan, I knew this Bill was on the way and made inquiries about it. I was...

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes (4 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: I thank Senator Kitt for raising this issue. My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, regrets that he is unable to be present to respond to the motion. The water services investment programme 2005-07, published by the Minister in December 2005, includes some 60 major water and sewerage schemes, with a value of more than €451 million, for Galway. I am...

Seanad: Postal Services (4 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: I thank Senator Ross for raising this issue. Minister Dempsey regrets that he is unable to be in the House this evening to address the Senator on this matter. The Government recognises the critical importance of having nationwide, reliable, high quality and efficient postal services. However, we must recognise that the challenges facing the postal sector now at the start of the 21st century...

Seanad: Postal Services (4 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: As I have outlined, a review is underway at EU level and will go before the Parliament and the Council. Ireland will make its decisions when we see the outcome of that.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme (4 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: I thank Senator Finucane for raising the issue. The Minister for Finance announced a decentralisation programme for 10,300 public servants in December 2003, to be implemented on a voluntary basis. The success of the programme can be seen from the fact that decentralisation is now a reality in 12 new locations and that more than 2,000 civil servants will have relocated to 29 locations by the...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (11 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: Hopefully, I will not get a red card. On the matter of educational grants, I have asked the Minister for Education and Science to examine the possibility of basing the qualification for such grants on net income as in the case of qualification for a medical card because couples and families find it difficult to cope without the benefit of such grants. Qualification for a medical card has...

Seanad: UN Committee Report on Children in Ireland: Statements (11 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: I wish to share my time with Senators Brian Hayes and Terry.

Seanad: UN Committee Report on Children in Ireland: Statements (11 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to the House and wish him well in his new job where much progress has been made. There is always change in politics, but this area is changing at a rapid rate. While the Minister of State was speaking, I was thinking his departmental responsibilities could be divided into three sections, infants, children...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: I welcome Government support for the Private Members' motion tonight and look forward to the full debate. I ask that we bring the Minister for Finance or the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform into the House to debate stamp duty. We must know the Government's plans, if any, on the issue. Do they amount to an election promise or are they an aspiration? Will they be...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: On a point I raised previously, it should be possible, when the House is sitting for two days, to take four matters on the Adjournment. I intend to write a second letter to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges seeking to have the issue addressed and call on Senators to support me. Of the nine matters submitted for debate on the Adjournment today, only three will be taken. This is not...

Seanad: Pre-Nuptial Agreements: Motion (18 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: I move: That Seanad Éireann: calls on the Attorney General to request the Law Reform Commission to produce a report examining the current status of Pre-Nuptial Agreements in Irish Courts; and to investigate the consequences of their possible introduction and the impact on the constitutional and legal rights of spouses and children; and that this Report to be laid before the House within a...

Seanad: Pre-Nuptial Agreements: Motion (18 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: I do not.

Seanad: Pre-Nuptial Agreements: Motion (18 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: I thank those who have spoken during this debate and I thank the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform for his frankness. At times we may become disillusioned with politics, but today the Seanad has justified its existence as we have taken a lead on an issue that has not been addressed elsewhere. There have been huge social and economic changes in the past 30 to 40...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: I wish.

Seanad: Mental Health Commission Report 2005: Statements (19 Oct 2006)

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

Seanad: Mental Health Commission Report 2005: Statements (19 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: To clarify, as a spokesperson I have 15 minutes which will be divided as eight minutes and seven minutes.

Seanad: Mental Health Commission Report 2005: Statements (19 Oct 2006)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to the House. I will not repeat what was stated by Senators Henry and Ryan and other speakers. I will summarise the issues raised by the Mental Health Commission report. I had the privilege of sitting on the sub-committee of the Joint Committee on Health and Children which examined suicide. The report states suicide is responsible for three...