Results 141-160 of 602 for speaker:Fiach MacConghail

Seanad: Order of Business (24 May 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: On a point of order, they were also proposed by the current Government. The Minister, Deputy Deenihan, is up to his knees in amalgamations.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 May 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I am pressing the amendment on the basis that there is no guaranteed or confirmed time when the Minister will deal solely with this issue.

Seanad: Decade of Commemorations: Statements (Resumed) (7 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I welcome the Minister to the Seanad for this important debate on the nature, challenges and role of commemorations as we begin a decade of centenaries. The Minister is the chairman of the all-party centenary commemoration group and therefore has a powerful role in establishing the vision of how we might approach the complex notion of commemoration and in how we deliver the activities...

Seanad: Decade of Commemorations: Statements (Resumed) (7 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: Can the Minister publish the reforms before they go to Cabinet or is that not the procedure?

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I welcome this important debate on Seanad reform, in particular consideration of Seanad reform by the constitutional convention. As I look across the Seanad Chamber, I note there are six Independent Senators here. As such, we outnumber all political parties in the Chamber this afternoon. What signal does that convey to those citizens watching us while we are discussing the future of the...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I am assuming that Senators Norris and Quinn are on the same wavelength as I am. What is the Government afraid of in the context of including Seanad reform in the constitutional convention? It is ironic that I, as a nominee of the Taoiseach to the Seanad upholding the Constitution in terms of my position here, am in favour of a greatly reformed Seanad Éireann. If the choice was clear...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: No. I did so in reverse order.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: We have a flawed system of democracy in terms of the manner in which the Seanad is constituted. The report of the sub-committee on Seanad reform is a wonderful document prepared under the chairmanship of former Deputy and Leader of this House, Ms Mary O'Rourke, with the assistance of many Members of the current Seanad. It states on page 26 that one of the problems - this was accepted by the...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: As I stated earlier, I have been a Member of this House for almost a year. If reform takes this long, I can guarantee that should the result of the referendum be "Yes" and the Seanad is retained the reform agenda will not continue at any pace that would give citizens a sense of enhanced trust in the Oireachtas. This is the reason we should put the cart before the horse. The Taoiseach,...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: The disappointed Fine Gael and Labour Party Senators -----

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: Tá sé náireach.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions: Motion (27 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I move: That Seanad Éireann recognises: Ireland's obligations under Article 27(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: "Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits"; Ireland's national cultural institutions do offer social, economic and educational...

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions: Motion (27 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I never said that.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions: Motion (27 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I would not accuse the Minister of that and I offer him my support.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions: Motion (27 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I compliment the Minister on that.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions: Motion (27 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: The Minister did not mention them all, in fairness.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions: Motion (27 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: With the Minister's support.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions: Motion (27 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: What about competition? The post of director of Culture Ireland was not advertised externally. That is what we were looking for. It was done internally. He is a civil servant.

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions: Motion (27 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: Did I make any of them?

Seanad: National Cultural Institutions: Motion (27 Jun 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: To paraphrase Phillip McMahon, who wrote "Alice in Funderland", we are all in the gutter but some of us are looking up at the Spar. At the outset, the Minister should be under no illusion but that all Members are here to support him without question. However, what is vital in our community, of which the Minister is a part both as a Minister and in respect of his role and the work he has done...