Results 2,681-2,700 of 6,046 for speaker:Frank Feighan

Seanad: Order of Business (2 May 2018)

Frank Feighan: We must welcome the direct flights between Hong Kong and Dublin and between Beijing and Dublin, which will begin next month.I believe this will be a game changer in our trade in tourism and exports to and from China. I was on a trip to China by Members of the Oireachtas and the Ceann Comhairle last week and it was eye opening to see its modern economy. There are huge opportunities for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism - An Industry Strategy for Growth to 2025: Discussion (2 May 2018)

Frank Feighan: I thank the witnesses for attending. Tourism hugely benefits the island of Ireland. The sector has come a long way, changing its dynamic. I live in Boyle, County Roscommon. I was heavily involved in ensuring Lough Key Forest Park was developed. At the time, Coillte owned the park and people were concerned about its future ownership. In 2001, I advised the local authority that if it took...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (1 May 2018)

Frank Feighan: If the House wishes to take Senator Dolan's Commencement matter first, I have no problem with that.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Commonwealth of Nations (1 May 2018)

Frank Feighan: As many Senators will be aware, I have spoken publicly on this issue many times. In this era of Brexit, my call to explore the potential benefits of rejoining the Commonwealth of Nations continues to provoke an interesting response. Many of us here are democratic Irish nationalists and proud Europeans but we live in a time when our future relationships with Britain will be shaped by Brexit....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Commonwealth of Nations (1 May 2018)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Minister for her reply. I absolutely agree that the doubling of our global footprint and work with the expansion of Ireland's diplomatic network is very welcome. We are now at a place where we can make a change as leaders for good throughout the world. Joining the Francophonie and Commonwealth of Nations and many other organisations will be of benefit. I am also delighted we...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2018)

Frank Feighan: Absolutely.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2018)

Frank Feighan: I would like to welcome my colleague Anthony Lawlor into the Seanad today. He follows in the footsteps of his mother, Senator Patsy Lawlor. I also want to welcome Senator Ian Marshall. On 14 February this year, I spoke in the Seanad Chamber to call for one of the vacant Seanad seats to be filled by a unionist voice from Northern Ireland. I am delighted that my fellow county man is here....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Issues Facing Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners: Discussion (19 Apr 2018)

Frank Feighan: I thank Mr. Culbert and Mr. Mulgrew. It is great to see them here again. They were here four years ago I think. I remember as part of the Good Friday committee we went up and saw the valuable work being done. I know the witnesses' organisation has been working extremely hard across the communities with EPIC and similar organisations in loyalist west Belfast. I congratulate and thank them...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Apr 2018)

Frank Feighan: Senator Mulherin has touched on this point in her remarks but there is a total imbalance when it comes to capital development projects being delayed. In my native town, I was chair of the Lough Key Forest Park action group. We secured a development worth about €20 million. However, about five different hotels have been refused planning permission in the past ten or 15 years and now...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future of Mental Health Care: Mental Health Services: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Apr 2018)

Frank Feighan: I thank the delegates for their submissions. I will come at the matter from probably a different angle, that is, staffing and capital development. The delegates said they needed A Vision for Change to be completed. What are the outstanding aspects that need to be completed? We talked about nurses. The issues they face constitute a huge challenge across all sectors. We see members of...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Frank Feighan: The Republic of Ireland Act came into force on this day 69 years ago. This Act declared a republic, because of which we were automatically excluded from the Commonwealth. Two weeks later, the rules were changed to allow republics to be members of the Commonwealth. India availed of that but we did not. That is for another day. I attended the Goliath Trust gala in the Europa Hotel in...

Seanad: Northern Ireland and 20th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement: Statements (18 Apr 2018)

Frank Feighan: I welcome the Minister here today on this very special day. I do not think most people realise that the Republic officially came into existence on this day 69 years ago. I suppose with every issue, there is always a counterbalance. That brought the Ireland Act 1949 to the House of Commons, which effectively recognised Northern Ireland. Some would say this drove partition or ensured that...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (17 Apr 2018)

Frank Feighan: I wish to raise the need for the Minister for Health to explore the possibility of reviewing medical card guidelines for people with spinal injuries who wish to take up work but who see the potential loss of their medical card as a significant disincentive to taking up employment. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, for taking this matter today. This important issue has...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (17 Apr 2018)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Minister of State for his interest in this very sensitive, complex and difficult subject. I welcome the recommendations. I am anxious that the increase in the medical card earnings disregard from €120 would be quite significant but, obviously, we will know in the coming weeks. I also thank the Minister of State for the work that has been done. Our job is to ensure that...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2018)

Frank Feighan: It was a great honour and privilege to be at Queen's University in Belfast last Tuesday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the Belfast Agreement.All of the major players were there - Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern, David Trimble, Peter Robinson, Seamus Mallon, Deputy Adams and the Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney. The event drew on what has happened in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Funding for Minority Sports and Sports Capital Programme Expenditure (28 Mar 2018)

Frank Feighan: I thank the witnesses for attending. I appreciate the extra funding for sport, especially minority sport. Over the years, we looked at sports funding as being for three or four major games, but there has been a rebalancing towards minority sports in the last number of years. The appeals process is a lot more open now. I remember that in our first year in government, it was kind of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Funding for Minority Sports and Sports Capital Programme Expenditure (28 Mar 2018)

Frank Feighan: May I make one quick intervention? I am delighted to hear the Minister, Deputy Ross, and the Minister of State, Deputy Griffin, and the officials explain a system that, thankfully, after 30 years, is now open, transparent and fair. I remember when the lottery was launched 30 years ago. I returned from Australia and saw what lottery funding could do and applied on behalf of my local soccer...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme: Discussion (28 Mar 2018)

Frank Feighan: I apologise for having to leave. We had two votes on amendments to the constitutional amendment Bill in the Seanad. I also had to meet the Russian ambassador. I am delighted to be back here. I have missed a lot of the submissions, but I am delighted to see the witnesses here. I remember going to Abbotstown to see Sport Ireland. It opened the eyes of committee members to the work being...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme: Discussion (28 Mar 2018)

Frank Feighan: I remember a time when it was 20% in betting shops.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme: Discussion (28 Mar 2018)

Frank Feighan: I grew up playing Gaelic football and soccer. Most of the witnesses represent individual sports. If I were starting my life again, I would probably choose an individual sport, not that I would be any good. It was not something we were familiar with but the sporting bodies have made people familiar with individual sports today. I cannot commend enough the work being done across the island....