Results 1,721-1,740 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Health Service Reform: Statements (21 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: Is that 5,000 extra places?

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (21 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: I will share time with Senator Bradford. We are very upset on this side of the House as this is bad legislation.

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (21 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: The Minister might give way. This legislation reminds me of the nursing homes fiasco, where legislation was rushed through the House and ended up being referred to the Supreme Court. If, with us having passed a motion for earlier signature, the President were to refuse to sign the legislation, what would happen? Would it be complete chaos? She has done so in the past on health legislation.

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (21 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: We are in favour of risk equalisation but there are different ways of implementing it. In Australia it was applied only in respect of 65 year olds. As far as I am aware BUPA accepts the principle but disagrees as to the payment involved. EU Commissioner Mr. McCreevy also has major concerns, as does the Minister, which is why she is awaiting three reports, from the Competition Authority,...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (21 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: Why not break up the VHI?

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (21 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: When will the VHI be broken up?

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (21 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: What happens if it leaves?

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: A number of questions remain to be answered after last night. During the debate the Minister admitted that the reason she was acting was a threat by VIVAS Health to pull out of the market and let the company be taken over. She also admitted that the December court case forced her hand. Why was this legislation not introduced in January? Why wait two months? The Minister also admitted...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: A Chathaoirligh, this is extremely relevant to the 400,000 customers and 350 employees, or former employees, of BUPA Ireland. We are entitled to ask questions. Last night I asked the Minister if there was a need for an independent financial analysis of VHI. We hear rumours that it is in trouble. It is time that was clarified. The Minister has spoken about breaking up the VHI in the past...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: Good. They kept referring to the Dáil and one would think the Seanad did not exist. We should debate the issue raised by Senator O'Toole and Senator Fitzgerald, the standards of teaching. However, our attention should be focused on the teaching colleges and the relevance of their courses. I have a B. Ed. degree but I was never taught how to fill in a roll book. When we reflect on the...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: They said the opposite outside the Chamber afterwards. I overheard them.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: The advice was clearly wrong.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: She was not in the House for three hours in the afternoon.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: As the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, indicated on Committee Stage on Tuesday, section 8 was the subject of further consultation with the Office of the Attorney General. The legal advice is that it would be more prudent to delete section 8 in its entirety and therefore amendment No. 2 no longer applies.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: It is not proposed to accept this amendment. In a fast-changing dynamic industry such as the electronic communications sector it is important to be able to legislate in a timely manner.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: Senators raised the issue of delays in bringing forward primary legislation to give effect to the changes required for effective implementation in this sector on Second Stage. The new powers proposed under section 46A will enable the Minister to implement any changes to the regulatory framework in a timely fashion and to provide for effective penalties for serious breaches of that framework....

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: The Office of the Attorney General approved the text of the Bill as drafted and it proposed this mechanism for dealing with the matter.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: This is a textual amendment made by the Parliamentary Counsel to ensure consistency throughout the section.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (Resumed) (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: I thank the Senators for their interest in and contributions to the Bill. As Senator Fitzgerald said, some of the amendments that made improvements to the Bill came from Senators. I am sure they will agree that this legislation is vital to the future of the communications sector in Ireland and that its provisions will promote competition in the sector to the benefit of consumers. I also...

Seanad: National Monuments (22 Feb 2007)

Fergal Browne: The largest dolmen and capstone in Europe is situated in Carlow. It is a megalithic tomb dating back to the first inhabitants of the country, making it a great deal older than any of us in this House. I was delighted to see a new interpretative centre opened at the Cliffs of Moher recently. While I do not seek the same in Carlow, we need to enhance considerably the facilities at the...