Results 2,441-2,460 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also welcome the Bill and wish it every success. I had no idea that its purpose was to win the World Cup until I heard the Minister of State's comments. I hope he will be successful in that regard. Aside from winning the World Cup, one of the reasons for my enthusiasm in respect of this Bill is that approximately three weeks ago, I visited...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: I am sorry that Senator Ryan, a person I greatly respect, took offence at what I said yesterday. That was not my intention. My concern was that killing and kidnapping by any side in a conflict should always be condemned, regardless of the respective moral standing of the opposing sides. Senator Ryan's concern was that the Palestinians who carried out those actions should not be considered...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: I support the Senators who called for a debate on stem cell research. I will not repeat what Senator Ó Murchú said but I agree this is the House in which that debate should take place. I also support Senator Hayes's view — we do not have this problem on the Independent side — that it should be a free vote and not controlled by party leaders. That would be a worthy debate. Figures show...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: Yesterday I received the annual report of Enterprise Ireland, entitled Transforming Irish Industry. It would be worthwhile having a debate on it. It is clear there is a shortage of students and graduates in science and mathematics. Apparently, one of the reasons is that the class sizes for leaving certificate mathematics teachers are too large. Since there are a number of mathematics teachers...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: He appeared to excuse it rather than offer a word of condemnation. If we are to be level handed on this issue, we must include a condemnation of kidnapping and killing. I support his call for a debate on Palestine.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (27 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister and his officials. As Senators Brian Hayes and Moylan stated, defence legislation does not come before the House very often. I did not understand the intention to hold a military parade to commemorate the 1916 Rising but it highlighted the regard in which the Defence Forces are held and I congratulate them on that basis. I was also a member of the FCA and I have great...

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Second Stage. (27 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister and I found his speech interesting. I intend, however, to oppose this Bill. It is completely unnecessary. I wish the Abbotstown sports campus every success but I fail to see what this new statutory authority, with all its bells and whistles, can do that the existing, perfectly adequate limited company cannot. My opposition should not be seen as a protest against this...

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: The report issued today on health is very useful and seems to be generating discussion. I was impressed by the point Senator Henry made concerning metabolic diseases, and that this is an opportunity to identify diseases that new-born babies have, in order to save their lives. There was a report, yesterday, that in the city of Washington in the United States, it is estimated that one in 50 —...

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: Payments are made for keeping them well.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: I support Senators Lydon and Ó Murchú on the issue of embryonic stem cell research. A vote is taking place in the European Parliament today. The concept underlying the European project is meant to be subsidiarity, where decisions better made closer to the citizens could be made in that way rather than at a centre. It is time for us to once again have a debate on stem cell research because...

Seanad: Use of Irish Airports: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: We had an interesting debate on Iraq last November. I am on the board of an organisation in the US and when there in December, I found myself talking to a number of Americans about events in Iraq. I was surprised that they did not seem to understand that the steps they were taking were working against their long-term interests. I admire Senator Mooney for what he said today and we are both...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (14 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 51: In page 8, subsection (13), line 38, to delete "€1,000" and substitute "€3,000". Both amendments seek an increase in the fine. I put forward amendment No. 51 because the existing wording does not recognise the full seriousness of the offence. This subsection imposes a penalty for an offence under the preceding section which applies to the requirements for a person...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (14 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: I wish to continue on this topic. I was surprised some years ago to discover that there was a constitutional problem with random breath testing or any other testing. I can understand the Minister of State's quandary. I am delighted Senator McDowell raised this issue because it appears that such testing is no longer random. Somebody will have to make a decision as to where and when such...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (14 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: We should have both. I hope random testing will take place. The fact it is random means there is no need to put a sign up advertising it, but it could also be a benefit to advertise it. My query relates to a matter that has just been raised by Senator McDowell. I read recently about the case of a person who decided not to drive when he left a pub because he had consumed too much alcohol. He...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (14 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: I wish to add a word in support of this amendment. The word "reasonable" appears to be a reasonable term to use. From that perspective, the case has been made. I urge the Minister of State to give serious consideration to this amendment.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (14 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: May I speak on amendment No. 32 at this point?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (14 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: Amendment No. 32 calls for a new section to be inserted at page 6, after line 34, specifying that a member of the Garda Síochána "who attends the scene of any road accident, may, and as far as practicable shall, require the driver of any vehicle involved in the accident to provide (by exhaling into an apparatus for indicating the presence of alcohol in the breath) a specimen of his or her...

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: Some three years ago the Human Rights Commission wrote to the Government requesting that it be accountable directly to the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Government did not oppose this but sought to consider the suggestion. Can the Leader find out the position on what seems to me a valid and sensible suggestion? Three years is sufficient time to formulate a response. A British newspaper report...

Seanad: Health (Repayment Scheme) Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (13 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: A sense of urgency is needed in terms of legislation coming through these Houses because there have been too many examples in the past of something being permitted but nothing happening for a long time. When I first became a Member of this House I sought a date, regarding legislation on authorities that were being established, for the publication of their annual reports and I found there was...

Seanad: Health (Repayment Scheme) Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (13 Jun 2006)

Feargal Quinn: I listened carefully to what Senator Ryan said and found the case he was making interesting but I cannot accept that he has made a sufficiently valid case. It appears to me, and I am sure the Minister of State will say, that we should leave the door open for whatever is the most efficient, cheap and sensible way of getting it done. If we accepted the wording in the amendment, it would exclude...