Results 1,681-1,700 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Prohibition of Depleted Uranium Weapons Bill 2009: Second Stage (3 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I add my voice to those who congratulated the Green Party and Senator Boyle and Senator Dearey on introducing the Bill. I am delighted to hear that the Minister of State believes it is a good Bill. On that basis I assume it will be accepted and I hope it will get through the House because the use of depleted uranium in munitions is controversial because of questions about potential...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I was in favour of it.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I am disappointed the Cathaoirleach turned down a matter I proposed to raise on the Adjournment because I referred it to a Department that claims not to have responsibility for it.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: The issue on which I sought a debate was the decision by the United States to insist that after a certain date, which has not yet been decided, all goods exported to the US will have to be scanned before they leave the country of origin. I assumed that would be huge interest to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: It is essential that we overcome this because it will be costly to install the scanning system required to trace everything leaving Ireland in containers for the US. I will table the matter again next week. Bureaucracy and red tape is an issue. It does not make sense that the wrong Department could not transfer my request to the appropriate Department.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I would have thought the Civil Service had a better system than that. I will table the issue again next week on the basis that it has something to do with ports, but the Department for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources may well say this is not covered by its remit and it should be addressed somewhere else. With regard to pensions, some years ago Senator O'Toole referred to the...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (4 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State. I have been in his part of the world a lot recently and it is impressive. I was very impressed by the figures he outlined to the House, particularly the figure of 200,000 jobs dependent on the tourism industry. If the level of expenditure is €4 billion, it suggests 11% of the people are employed in the industry. I will not go through the figures he...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (4 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I have another story about a hotel in America at which we arrived a number of years ago. I was very impressed when the man who was clipping the hedge said, "Hi, you are very welcome." We went to our room and my wife and I decided to eat in the hotel that night. I said the Americans were great, they called a person by name. We have always had a difficulty in getting people to do this. I...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: The way one judges a society is how it looks after its underprivileged and those who are unable to look after themselves. Reading the headlines that hit today's newspapers to the effect that the unions are taking action against schools, welfare offices and hospitals is a reminder that if we are discussing leadership, to which Senator Buttimer referred, it must come from the unions. It is...

Seanad: Multi-Unit Developments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I support a point made by Senator Mullen which speaks for itself. The Senator proposes that the annual service charge be proportionately allotted between unit owners with due consideration being given to the type and size of the unit owned. The alternative is not suitable and the Senator is aiming at achieving a more suitable arrangement.

Seanad: Multi-Unit Developments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I understand what the Minister is saying. It is a satisfactory answer. Question put and agreed to.

Seanad: Multi-Unit Developments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 57: In page 14, subsection (5), lines 5 to 7, to delete all words from and including "the" in line 5 down to and including "concerned" in line 7 and substitute the following: "be determined by a professional quantity surveyor following consideration of the drawings, mechanical and electrical services, and the obligations regarding services set down in the lease between...

Seanad: Multi-Unit Developments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Minister. That is the issue. There are developments in which there is so little space that a €200 charge would be too much. I accept the Minister's comment. However, I support Senator Bacik and also would prefer if the amendment was made in this House rather than in the Dáil. I hope the Minister will have time for consideration of the amendment while the Bill is being...

Seanad: Multi-Unit Developments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: When I read this amendment, I realised immediately the intention in tabling it and it is well worth supporting. While it is unsightly, as Senator Bacik said, to see small exhibited commonly in apartment blocks, on the other hand, the use of tumble driers poses a problem in terms of achieving the climate change objective set. If we do not take steps such as this, we will not even take the...

Seanad: Multi-Unit Developments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 69: In page 18, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following subsection: "(3) The Small Claims Court will deal with non-payment of service charges or building investment funds up to the value of €3,000.". The Minister will understand the purpose of my amendment, which is to provide that the Small Claims Court could deal with cases arising from the non-payment of...

Seanad: Multi-Unit Developments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: While I understand the Minister and share his objective, his response does not overcome the problem. The Bill confers jurisdiction on the Circuit Court. Did the Minister indicate that the District Court rather than Circuit Court would be a less expensive option for dealing with this matter? I am not sure I understand the precise details. As the Minister will note, the objective of the...

Seanad: Multi-Unit Developments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister understands what my amendment sets out to achieve. If there is another way of achieving the objective, I am willing to have him examine the matter again. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Section 20 agreed to. SECTION 21. Government amendment No. 70: In page 18, subsection (1)(a), line 7, to delete "Upon the request of any party to an application" and substitute the following:...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I understand from newspaper reports today that the Taoiseach intends to announce an innovation task force report. Even though he will announce it today, Members have some idea as to its contents. It appears that the word "innovation" is extremely important. Throughout the country innovative things are happening. For example, I think of the Cork-Swansea car ferry, in respect of which,...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: -----and which Ireland has banned.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: However, our farmers must compete with others who are employing modern methods of production. I acknowledge this is a highly emotional issue and that some are opposed in principle to genetically modified foods. However, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn is the Commissioner with responsibility for innovation in the European Union. Clearly, she must identify genetically modified foods in this context....