Results 2,561-2,580 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Budget Statement 2005: Motion. (7 Dec 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the opportunity to speak and welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, to the House. I have a suspicious mind and regard a budget to be part of a wider story. Sometimes its effect, if not its actual purpose, is to divert attention from the wider story. In most years, including this one, I regard the Minister as being akin to a baker who bakes a cake...

Seanad: WTO Negotiations: Statements. (7 Dec 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I wish to share my time with Senator O'Toole.

Seanad: WTO Negotiations: Statements. (7 Dec 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister to the House and join with Senator Callanan in congratulating her on her performance on television the other night, which was very good. I must criticise Senator Callanan, however, for referring to the gospel according to St. Peter — unless he was referring to himself — because St. Peter did not write a gospel.

Seanad: WTO Negotiations: Statements. (7 Dec 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I assumed he was referring to himself. I would like the Government to take a balanced approach in the forthcoming WTO negotiations, but from where I am standing, I am not sure that will happen. A balanced approach should reflect all the interests of the nation. We have three distinct interests and the Government's challenge is to reconcile all three in the stance it takes. I know the Minister...

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2005)

Feargal Quinn: Yesterday, five bombs exploded in Spain. I am pleased to note that no one was injured and that warnings were given by the Basque separatists. However, it is a reminder to us of the 30 years of similar occurrences in this country. Given that Senators Mansergh and Brian Hayes spoke today about the opportunity offered by events in the North, I believe it is time we once again had a debate on...

Seanad: Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2005: Committee Stage (Resumed). (6 Dec 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Minister of State for his coverage of what we are doing. I tabled amendment No. 17, which was not allowed and I have a confession to make in that regard. I knew when I was putting forward the amendment that it probably would be ruled out of order under the quaint rules by which we operate in this House. I persevered in submitting it because I got the strong impression in the...

Seanad: Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2005: Committee Stage (Resumed). (6 Dec 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Minister of State for his remarks and I thank Senators Henry and Browne for supporting me in that area. I am delighted to hear what the Minister of State said. His heart is in the right place. I hope the intention is to find a solution to the problem. I take the Minister of State's other point too, that this involves a cost not only to the taxpayer but also to the individuals who...

Seanad: Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2005: Committee Stage (Resumed). (6 Dec 2005)

Feargal Quinn: My amendment was No. 17, and I gather that I may have missed it by a moment or two. I did not hear it called.

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements. (1 Dec 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I wish to share my time with Senator Browne.

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements. (1 Dec 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I enjoyed Senator Mansergh's contribution. He made a reference to when he was a young man, but I consider he is still a young man. If this were ten years ago rather than now, we would criticise the Government for its lack of planning. We stumbled into the Celtic tiger era without much planning or foresight and we are lucky that matters turned out as they did. Ten years ago the position was...

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Dec 2005)

Feargal Quinn: For once the Leader will be pleased to know I am not seeking an urgent debate. That said, we should consider debating two reports. One report was issued during the week by the European Environment Agency which stated we had the second worst record for pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in the European Community. That should be debated reasonably soon. I read this morning of a report from...

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I thank Senator Norris for sharing his time with me. I add my words of praise for the work of Eddie Shaw, the former chairman of the National Safety Council. He resigned last week because of what I believe was his utter frustration at his inability to persuade the Government to do what he believed had to be done. I had the experience some years ago of meeting a man on the floor of my...

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Feargal Quinn: It would not cost money in the long term because it would be a good investment. It would save lives and save the economy a great deal of money.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Feargal Quinn: We should cover the country in terms of the erection of such speed cameras. The investment would be worthwhile. Motorists would know they would be caught for breaches of the law. Speed cameras can identify what happens on our roads and the motorists who drive at speed. The use of such technology would result in what happened two and a half years ago when we reduced the number of deaths on our...

Seanad: Employment Rights: Statements. (24 Nov 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State, of whom we have seen a lot lately. He is a good listener, as we have learned during the passage of recent legislation. I am also a good listener but was unaware of the story the Minister of State told regarding the Latvian workers on Colt Island, off Skerries. I grew up in that part of the world. In light of the Latvian workers' experience, I understand why...

Seanad: Estimates for Public Services 2006: Statements (Resumed). (24 Nov 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister and his contribution, which gives us confidence for the future and a great deal of pride in the success of the past ten to 15 years. I am fearful of being regarded as a Jonah if I express any criticism or concerns about the future. I am not. I travelled throughout the world this year and found myself being highly regarded as a citizen of a country that has set standards...

Seanad: Iraq War: Motion. (23 Nov 2005)

Feargal Quinn: When I was approached to put my name to this motion, I was very careful before accepting the opportunity to do so. I read it on a number of occasions and found that it was very balanced. The words used were moderate. For that reason, I am surprised that it needed an amendment. The words could have been accepted by the Government and I must express my disappointment that it did not do so. I...

Seanad: Iraq War: Motion. (23 Nov 2005)

Feargal Quinn: He did so in a balanced way. He was obliged to support the amendment, but I got the impression that he did not do it with enthusiasm. It is fair to say that the motion could have been accepted without an amendment. I would like to make it clear that I take part in this debate as an unashamed friend of the United States. When it comes to friendship, this country should have no hesitation in...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Statements. (23 Nov 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and welcome the opportunity to debate the housing issue. At present, we are building too many houses, of the wrong type, in the wrong place. Part of our current economic growth has something of the air of a mirage. One quirk of the statistical methods we use to judge our economy is that any activity is considered to count towards growth in the...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Feargal Quinn: I support what was said on Second and Committee Stages, on which I spoke. The Minister of State and his officials have done a great job with regard to the Bill and I know of his effort and enthusiasm to solve this problem. The problem left unsolved is a danger. Senator Henry referred to the fact that in other parts of the world the use of the term "physical therapist" is understood to be the...