Results 2,141-2,160 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Economic Outlook: Motion (20 Feb 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State although I am not sure I entirely welcome all his words. I am pleased this debate is taking place because it is an important issue. I have had a very interesting few months. One of the opportunities I had was to visit a country called Panama, of which I had never heard, other than in the context of the canal, until I went there last month. The reason I was...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2008)

Feargal Quinn: Just after the August bank holiday weekend last summer, an announcement was made about decisions made by Aer Lingus in respect of Shannon Airport. The people of Shannon and the west received a considerable amount of sympathy from all of us around the country because of the problems they would face. What happened last weekend? The airport closed for a small number of hours because of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I draw the attention of the Leader to a matter I have raised on occasion previously, namely, what I call the paper trail. I refer to the volume of paper that lands on my desk and I am sure the desk of every other Member of this and the other House. At least 226 brown envelopes containing the Order Paper were circulated today — it is probably the only brown envelope most of us ever...

Seanad: The 70th Anniversary of the Constitution: Statements (Resumed) (7 Feb 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Carey, to the House. I also welcome this debate. When Senator Eoghan Harris was nominated to this House, he said he went and read many speeches from the 1930s and before. I did something similar when elected 15 years ago. I was very impressed by what I read because this House is a creation...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2008)

Feargal Quinn: When Mr. Gay Byrne accepted the position of chairman of the Road Safety Authority I welcomed it in this House. I said the Minister for Transport will not allow Mr. Byrne to resign because the Minister did not perform what he promised he would. I read the newspaper today and Mr. Byrne's use of the interesting word "tetchy" is close to resignation. The Minister will find it difficult to hold...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2008)

Feargal Quinn: At least one other female President of Ireland made her name in this House. It is worthy of respect from this House to recognise the declaration at this early stage and I congratulate Senator Mary White on her declaration.

Seanad: Substance Abuse: Motion (Resumed) (30 Jan 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I wish to share time with Senator Norris who will speak first.

Seanad: Substance Abuse: Motion (Resumed) (30 Jan 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I do not propose to discuss drugs because I do not know enough about them. However, I disagree with Senator Norris's view on their legalisation. That approach is much too simple, as we have seen elsewhere. The other way to achieve success is to change hearts and minds, as we did in the case of plastic bags. I was interviewed today by the International Herald Tribune about plastic bags and...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jan 2008)

Feargal Quinn: I support the call for an urgent debate on the Lisbon treaty. Debate is taking place elsewhere but it is important that it also be facilitated in this House. The Taoiseach will attend a sitting of the National Forum on Europe tomorrow to discuss the treaty. Yesterday's meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs involved a discussion with two agricultural delegations. I...

Seanad: Broadband Access: Motion (12 Dec 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I thank Senator Cannon for allowing me to do this, because I have another appointment to keep. I welcome the Minister to the House, but I am very disappointed with the amendment, particularly its wording. It states that it commends the Government on its positive interventions and that it continues to improve. It seems our aim is to come in 17th. Can anybody picture us sending a team to the...

Seanad: Small and Medium Enterprises: Statements (12 Dec 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I know the two covers well

Seanad: Small and Medium Enterprises: Statements (12 Dec 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for this opportunity and for allowing me to follow Senator Mary White's interesting speech. With the young people in the Visitors Gallery, I read and listened to the Minister's speech and listened to Senator Mary White and others. What impressed me was the fact that the Minister is talking about innovation and entrepreneurship. When I left school many years...

Seanad: European Union Reform Treaty: Statements (12 Dec 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State and wish to concur with the words Senator Leyden has just used, about Deputy Roche's enthusiasm, which is great to hear. I experienced such enthusiasm first in 1958 when the Minister of State was perhaps only a baby. Going to Brussels and later France and spending winter in that part of the world was like going to Australia or New Zealand nowadays. It was an...

Seanad: European Union Reform Treaty: Statements (12 Dec 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Minister of State. On the basis of returning to first principles, I pose the question, does the result we now have to consider in the form of the Lisbon Reform Treaty live up to the aspirations set out so clearly in the Laeken Declaration? Along that road, have the lawyers and the bureaucrats taken over the process so that instead of a new beginning we are being presented with...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Dec 2007)

Feargal Quinn: Ireland has led the way in much innovative legislation in recent years. I was impressed yesterday at the launch of a children's plan in Britain. I ask the Leader to bring it to the attention of the Minister for Health and Children. It is a 170 page document. A couple of phrases, in particular, attracted me to it. It states that parents, not Governments, bring up children. It also refers...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2008: Statements (5 Dec 2007)

Feargal Quinn: With the permission of the House I will share time with Senator Norris. I look forward to this debate each year. When I was at school I always wanted to be a school inspector or examiner, and I look forward to acting as the budget examiner and giving marks for it. Last year, I gave the budget a pass and used the term "could do better". What is the mark this year? This year's budget was...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Dec 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I thank Senator Fitzgerald for responding to my request for a debate on Northern Ireland. Yesterday, I spoke on Northern Ireland on the Order of Business. I hope we do not regard it as a competitor for jobs because they are losing jobs in Derry as much as we are in Galway. We must support and regard Ireland as a united island and not regard Northern Ireland as a competitor. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2007)

Feargal Quinn: For the 15 years I have been a Member of the House there has always been a Member from Northern Ireland or the Six Counties. There are now a number of Members from the north of Ireland but none from the Six Counties. We should have a debate on Northern Ireland. Such debates were held regularly in the past. Some wonderful things are taking place in Northern Ireland.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2007)

Feargal Quinn: One of them involves the Lisanelly Barracks in Omagh, where Sinn Féin and the DUP have got together to convince the authorities that the site should be used as a joint facility for six schools from different sides of the divide. Just last week Senator George Mitchell joined the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in a cancer research effort that is taking place. Yesterday, in Wall...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Nov 2007)

Feargal Quinn: During the debate on Seanad reform last night the point Senator Keaveney made was discussed, that is, the opportunity for Members of the Seanad to ask Ministers questions. That would be a very useful way to go. I would like to invite two Ministers to the House to do what the Minister for Health and Children did last week. Earlier Senator Fitzgerald referred to Lucan and Senator O'Toole...