Results 2,001-2,020 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Report on EU Climate-Energy Package: Statements (16 Oct 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister. I am glad he is in office at this time because of his commitment and enthusiasm for this topic. I was on "Tubridy Tonight" on a Saturday night a number of years ago. I was asked if I was going into business now, what business it would be? Would I go back into the business I started with at the age of 23? I answered that I would look at alternative energies. There...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2009: Statements (15 Oct 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I wish to share my time with Senator Ivana Bacik. Each year in this debate I usually act as a school teacher examining the pupil's examination results and say: "Could do better", but I will not do that today. Today I will regard the Minister as a grocer giving bad news to his customers and staff and saying: "We are having a tough time and we will have to make some tough decisions." That...

Seanad: Unemployment Levels: Statements (15 Oct 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. We are seeing a lot of him in recent times. That is good news but, on the other hand, unemployment is not. I was a member of a partnership group which I had to leave when I was elected to the Seanad. I was concerned by a memory I had of previous times where groups were formed in different parts of the country to solve a problem. I thought...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I express my appreciation to the Leader for allowing a three hour debate on the budget within 24 hours of the Budget Statement. For this reason, I propose to be obedient for a change and avoid speaking on yesterday's events. Until yesterday, I had not heard of "egging", a form of anti-social behaviour engaged in, I gather, by people from all social backgrounds. I will cite an e-mail I...

Seanad: Volunteering in Irish Society: Statements (14 Oct 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I thank Senator Healy Eames for sharing her time and I shall be brief because I know other speakers want to come in. I congratulate the Minister of State on this. There is a long and proud tradition of volunteering in Ireland, and I believe the Minister of State is encouraging that today. Senator Healy Eames talked about being in Australia or somewhere. I was in Beijing last month at the...

Seanad: Human Body Organs and Human Tissue Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Wallace. I found this debate very useful and Senator Daly's last words were very close to what I would have said myself. The aim in introducing this Bill on behalf of the Independent Senators was to achieve shorter waiting lists and fewer deaths. I believe the Minister of State's comments that this Bill contains many useful elements and is heading in...

Seanad: Human Body Organs and Human Tissue Bill 2008: Order for Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I move: "That Second Stage be taken today."

Seanad: Human Body Organs and Human Tissue Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Minister of State for attending the House for this debate. The objective of the Bill is to save lives. Ireland has a rate of organ donation approximately half that of Spain, which has had what is termed a "presumed consent" system in operation for some years. There is no legislative framework in Ireland governing the use or withholding of consent in regard to the donation of...

Seanad: Economic Situation: Statements (30 Sep 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State. Last night, I prepared a script which I intended to deliver today and which contained proposals which were identical to those announced by the Minister for Finance at 7.10 a.m. I will jettison my script, therefore, and deliver it during the debate that is due to take place later this evening. We must consider the challenges we face and the direction our...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2008)

Feargal Quinn: Senator Fitzgerald called for questions and answers rather than the proposed statements followed by questions and I support that. Today is an important day with regard to the financial crisis. None of us in this country can remember a similar one. I wish to correct Senator Fitzgerald on one point. She said that the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, had made a decision. I do not...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2008)

Feargal Quinn: Let us look at what happened in the United States where it was not just matter of a decision made by the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary had to go before Congress where, regrettably, the representatives turned down the proposal. Will the Leader tell the House what will happen in this regard? Is legislation needed as I assume it to be? If so, will the legislation come to the house...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2008)

Feargal Quinn: My arithmetic tells me that would be about 84% of where it had been. This is just a reminder that when we drop 40% we must rise by a much higher percentage to get back to where we were. I have a Bill before the House tomorrow and I hope it will get a good debate. The idea is to open the question of consent for organ donations. I have a session at 4.15 p.m. today and welcome those Members...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Jul 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Minister of State and his officials for the time and attention they have given to this debate. I apologise and regret that they did not get an opportunity to get anything to eat since they came into the Seanad today. However, I must repeat what was said by others. It was unfortunate that such an important issue as public disorder resulting from alcohol did not manage to get the...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2008)

Feargal Quinn: On a point of order, the Leas-Chathaoirleach decided earlier that it was not possible to move an amendment without the permission of the originator, yet earlier in this Bill I moved an amendment put down by Senator Alex White, and I did so without his permission. Does that mean the Bill as a whole is no longer valid, as we are already in breach of Standing Orders? Either the...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2008)

Feargal Quinn: If I did not have permission I was unaware of the rules but the Leas Cathaoirleach accepted my moving the amendment at the time. Moving the amendment was either correct or incorrect. If it was incorrect we have been out of order today.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I did not claim to have permission and I did not have permission at any point.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I support the amendment in the knowledge that if more time had been available for consideration of the Bill, it would have been preferable to have included Senator Regan's proposal in the legislation. However, following a meeting with retailers who are concerned about the provisions on structural separation, the Minister agreed not to commence the section pending the introduction of a code...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 6: In page 8, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: "(a) any premises the subject of an exemption granted under section 3A (as inserted by section 10 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008).". I move the amendment on behalf of my colleague, Senator Alex White.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I support Senator Bacik's views, particularly in regard to amendment No. 9. The objective is to give the power to the court to extend a licence on occasion. We already had the discussion about premises closing at the same time. What will happen if the amendment is not accepted appears heavy-handed. The amendment is worthy of support because of the case Senator Bacik made and I urge the...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I have not spoken on this aspect of the discussion before, but I believe there is a real effort in Senator Regan's amendment, No. 12a, to face up to a problem which the Minister believes is creating public disorder. The Minister, when introducing the Bill, mentioned that one of its objectives was to reduce public disorder. There is a real danger that this legislation, without Senator...