Results 2,241-2,260 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I object to the number of occasions the word "occupation" is used with regard to Israel and the West Bank.

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I am not sure that is correct.

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I have been to Israel as well. I will outline a little of the history. After the 1967 war Israel offered a deal of land for peace. That was turned down and the Arab summit held in Khartoum immediately afterwards arrived at its triple negative resolution — no negotiations, no recognition and no peace. That is the line Hamas and Fatah have taken over the years. Achieving peace in...

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: The Israelis were in Lebanon because they had been attacked from there over the years but they left it voluntarily. As soon as they did, the bombs and rockets were launched from there as well. I am not defending the situation or trying to make it simple or easy. However, I believe there has not been the balance of interests and moderation that is required if peace is to be achieved there....

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: However, the Arab League has responded by urging that the state of Israel be wiped out. I am seeking to achieve a balance in our viewpoint. I do not believe that balance is heard regularly in this House. I am sure there is a strong opposing case to be made but the fact that I am not making that case is because it has so often been made in so many other ways in the past. Israel is the only...

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: Israeli Arabs have their own free press, free trade union and free television stations. I am concerned about the unbalanced nature of the words used in Ireland about Israel. I believe Israel does not get the fair hearing it needs. When we talk about an ethical, moral and fair foreign policy, we should include a fair, ethical and moral viewpoint on the balance of interests in that difficult...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2007 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister and his officials to the House. When I come to look at a Bill, I often find it is better to look at the Minister's speech on it, especially the last few lines. Towards the end of his speech on the Bill, the Minister said when referring to the national debt as among the lowest in Europe: "I have a responsibility to secure and build on the progress which has been made."...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2007 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: There may be a parallel scheme but somebody who wants to come to Dublin to study peace studies or travel North can do both. This point reflected what is at work today, a bureaucratic mindset that operates on the principle that the world begins and ends at the Irish border. I would like to think that we are more broad-minded than that. In the matter of the George Mitchell Scholarships...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2007 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: Yes it is not an amendment but a recommendation. I thank Senator Mansergh. It is worthy of consideration because life in Ireland has changed. There are wealthy people here now, some of whom wish to change the world. Some of them are doing a wonderful job in that direction. Let us make sure we encourage them to do so not by limiting ourselves to the borders of Ireland, worthy as that is...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2007 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: There is no member of the Progressive Democrats present either.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2007 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: A Chathaoirligh, I have offered to be a teller.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2007 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I wonder if it has a retrospective element.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: Not everything can be solved by legislation. The work of the task force on active citizenship deserves a great deal of attention but one aspect that can be examined, not by legislation, is the figures that were published last week showing that a large number of children go to bed hungry. Those children are not from families that are less well off. Many of them are from families who are...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: Senator Glynn made an eloquent and sincere call for an investigation into Eddie Fullerton's murder, while Senator O'Murchú referred to the Pat Finucane case. I was impressed to hear on radio earlier that three suspected terrorists had been arrested in Britain and would be held by the authorities for 28 days. Imagine what they could do in that time. We passed legislation a few years ago to...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I mention my experience in Paris to emphasise that this country has some very solid success stories. Bord Bia is to be complimented for the work it has done in this area. When the British budget was announced yesterday, it was interesting to note that Britain is following our lead in many ways. During an interesting debate on the national development plan in the House a couple of weeks...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: When I had the pleasure of having a meal in Paris on Monday night, I discovered that the menu specified that all the meat served in the restaurant is Irish. I was very impressed by this discovery, which should remind us of some of this country's success stories.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: It was in Paris.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: It is in France.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: My apologies. If the Leader wants the address of the restaurant, I can give it to her.

Seanad: National Climate Change Strategy 2000: Motion (21 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister to the House. I had an interesting day yesterday. I spent the day in Brussels at a meeting of 40 or 50 supermarket operators and retailers with Mr. Vinois who heads the unit implementing AngelaMerkel's proposals. He reminded me ofRoosevelt who stated, "Speak softly but carry a big stick". Mr. Vinois stated what he wanted to achieve and we stated we would do our best...