Results 3,121-3,140 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - School Absenteeism. (22 May 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Minister of State for his interest but I am concerned at the lack of urgency. The Minister of State says the board will "shortly be appointing an IT manager" and carrying out various other activities. I appreciate this is not in his hands but we need to inject a sense of urgency into the matter.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 May 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I heard on radio that there was a scandal in Britain where a school in England had to send its pupils home early because it could not afford to pay the teachers. Does that not sound familiar to something happening in the health service in Ireland? We read that the Mater Hospital will cut another 180 posts. We had a debate on this issue recently but not that long ago that we cannot again...

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I will be brief so that Senator Mansergh can reply. I want to hear his views. I have a policy of not supporting any motion from this side of the House unless it explains how we are to pay for it. On this occasion I have no problem whatsoever. Back in 1995 to 1997 when this was being talked about I was not in favour of the move to abolish third level fees. There was no suggestion in An Agreed...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 May 2003)

Feargal Quinn: There was a very good debate in the House recently about road safety. At the time it seemed that the introduction of penalty points was working. Last weekend has proved how dangerous the roads are and how our safety on the roads is held by a very delicate thread. I believe the Minister's heart is in the right place and I would like him to be invited to the House. Senator Browne has proposed a...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 May 2003)

Feargal Quinn: The Government yesterday announced the setting up of an Oireachtas joint committee on competitiveness. I congratulate it on doing so. I was out of the country yesterday, but I read that Ireland is no longer among the top ten most competitive countries in the world. I gather that we have slipped from ninth to eleventh; the European newspapers only gave the top ten countries. I was disappointed...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 May 2003)

Feargal Quinn: —and that the committee, when it gets to work, will set itself good deadlines.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 May 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I draw the Leader's attention to the decision by the European Commission to take Ireland to the European Court of Justice for failing to implement the fourth motor insurance directive. While this should have been done by July 2002, it has not yet been done. This is another example of the lack of attention we have paid to car insurance. We have called a number of times in recent yearsfor...

Seanad: Companies (Auditing and Accounting) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (16 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I must express my deep concern at only being granted seven minutes in which to contribute. I will try and say what I have to say in that time. I welcome the establishment of the Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority on a statutory footing. I also welcome the sentiments the Leader expressed in regard to Senator O'Toole. However, I am horrified and concerned about the implications...

Seanad: Cancer Treatment Services: Statements (Resumed). (16 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I appreciate the sincerity and commitment of the Minister of State and the amount of work he has put into this. We have had a useful debate up to now. There have been suggestions, comments and criticisms, but they have been given from the point of view of recognising a challenge up to which we must face. We faced a similar challenge in 1948 in the form of TB. There was a national consensus...

Seanad: Central Mental Hospital: Motion. (16 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I second the motion. The Minister of State may be pleased to know that I added my name to this motion for precisely the reasons outlined by Senator Henry. I was involved in the opening of the national lottery in the 1980s. One of things that appealed to me about the national lottery was the battle that went on to ensure that the money from ticket sales did not go into Government funds in...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: Members will have noticed during the week some figures that suggest the most dangerous road north of the Border is that which runs from the Border to Belfast. The most dangerous road south of the Border is in County Louth. Some weeks ago, Senator Brian Hayes made a proposal that the Minister should consider the unification of the penalty points systems, North and South. I ask the Leader to...

Seanad: Licensing of Indoor Events Bill 2001: Second Stage. (15 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State. I have a daughter in America. Like many other parents, I felt a shiver go through me when I heard in February that there had been a fire at a nightclub in Rhode Island and that 96 people were missing. As Senator Bannon stated, those people had, in fact, died. Within a week, there was another fire in Chicago in which 11 people died. Senator Kitt mentioned the...

Seanad: Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (9 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: The amendment has been discussed previously and it appears to be worthy of consideration, if only to put the minds of the members of the public at rest by demonstrating that we are benchmarking against other countries to see how well we are doing.

Seanad: Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (9 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: While some of us were critical of the number of amendments amending other amendments, clearly the purpose of the Bill is aimed at achieving something for which there is great demand. There is doubt in the public's mind about financial services and how they will be monitored. It is questionable whether the Central Bank has always acted in the public's interest as against the interest of other...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Police Co-Operation) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (9 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I approve of section 2 and have no problem with it whatsoever. My query is the same as Senator Tuffy's. My heart is not in amendments Nos. 1 and 2, but I am puzzled as to why they are not in order. It may well be because they are not relevant specifically to section 2. I know that Senator Terry put down amendment No. 2 in the belief that it would strengthen the Bill in meeting its objectives.

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Police Co-Operation) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (9 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I accept the Minister of State's explanation. Senator Terry's intention may have been correct but it seems much better not to lock this into legislation and leave the Chief Constable and the Garda Commissioner the freedom to decide how best to continue. The Minister of State has explained the matter well and I support his view.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: Yesterday, for the first time, the Garda Commissioner and the Assistant Garda Commissioner, in full uniform and alongside the Chief Constable of the PSNI, performed a function in Belfast. I cite this as an example of how far we have moved in the peace process. It is a reminder of how much has been achieved and how far we can go. I mention this to encourage the Taoiseach in the work to take...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Police Co-Operation) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (8 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I appreciate Senator Tuffy's allowing me to share my time with her and I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dea, to the House. I was very impressed with the words of the Minister, Deputy Michael Smith, who spoke earlier. I hope Senator Maurice Hayes will speak today because he was a member of the Patten Commission and was more involved with the issues in question than any of us.

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Police Co-Operation) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (8 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I did. Those of us who saw the RUC or, even worse, the B-Specials from a distance were fearful of them. However, when we came closer to them as individuals we found that they were people with whom we could deal, with whom we had a good relationship and who were fine policemen in many instances. The more we can get people from the North to meet, co-operate with and get to know people from the...

Seanad: Crime Levels: Statements. (3 Apr 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister. I have listened to what he has said with great interest but do not like percentages, I get a better feeling from real numbers. There were 9,695 assaults, 23,000 incidents of threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour, 35,000 incidents of public drunkenness and 10,000 cases of failure to comply with garda directions. Those are just some of the figures and they are...