Results 321-340 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Dec 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Dec 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I agree entirely with Senator Coghlan's remarks with regard to the Exchequer returns, behind which is another figure that is even more promising, namely, the competitiveness figures which indicate that Ireland has become much more competitive. That we allowed our costs to get out of control during the good years caused real difficulty. All of the current statistics in terms of...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Dec 2014)

Feargal Quinn: We were all horrified at the death of that young man so close to this building. While this sort of thing is happening all the time, the fact that it happened so close to this building has jolted us. I congratulate Senator Craughwell on the manner in which he appealed to the Leader to have a debate on the matter. Based on what the Leader said, the Senator went to him yesterday and gave him...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Today is Thanksgiving Day and there is much for which we can be thankful. I have in mind two newly appointed Ministers, both of whom are former Members of this House, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is announcing today...

Seanad: Availability of Certain Medication: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I am sorry I was not present to hear his statement.

Seanad: Availability of Certain Medication: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I will leave it up to the Chair to decide.

Seanad: Availability of Certain Medication: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister may have dealt with this query already, but some pharmacists believe the Government's move to reduce the price means that there will be a shortage of supplies. I do not know whether that will be the case. My other point is that in Greece and one or two other countries when they ran short of money they were not able to buy the right medications because the big pharmaceutical...

Seanad: Public Service Management (Transparency of Boards) Bill 2014: Leave to Withdraw (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, leave be granted to withdraw the Public Service Management (Transparency of Boards) Bill 2014.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2014: Motion to Discharge Order for Second Stage (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move: That the Order for Second Stage for the Social Welfare and Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2014 be discharged and that the Bill be withdrawn.The Government took that in line last week and passed it.

Seanad: Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2012: Motion to Discharge Committee Stage (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move: That the Order of the Seanad that the Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2012 be considered in committee of the whole Seanad be discharged and that the Bill be withdrawn.The Minister agreed to introduce legislation to do precisely what I have set down. It has actually become law.

Seanad: Building Control (Carbon Monoxide Detection) Bill 2014: Motion to Discharge Committee Stage (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move: That the Order of the Seanad that the Building Control (Carbon Monoxide Detection) Bill 2014 be considered in committee of the whole Seanad be discharged and that the Bill be withdrawn.I am withdrawing this because the Minister has pointed out that he has the ability to do it and will do it.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Irish tax system was mentioned yesterday and some interesting figures have been published recently in that regard. They show that Irish companies spend 80 hours per year in organising their tax affairs, compared to Germany which spends 218 hours. In other words, we are very efficient in our tax system and, on that basis, we are also efficient in our ability to collect tax. We may...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I do not want to get involved in the question of the teachers' dispute, although I know that around the world, there are so many areas, countries, provinces and states where teachers are demanding the right to assess their pupils. I want to talk about education. I attended the awards for the leaving certificate applied. This is a reminder of the leaving certificate applied, which is now 19...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Audit: FIT Limited (25 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The witnesses are very welcome. We have heard them discuss some of these topics previously. One of the areas that excites but also worries me is the number of vacancies that exist. We seem to be slow in developing things. I was interested to learn that Mr. Davitt was formerly a bricklayer and was then able to change direction. I recently presented awards for the applied leaving...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I found it very interesting to get involved in this Bill and to seek help, particularly that of the Minister of State's officials. I was hoping to see them yesterday, and while I could not make it on that occasion, I appreciate the offer of help. It is a much better Bill now than it was when it started. It has come about from the work the Minister of State's officials and this House have...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 11: In page 22, between lines 37 and 38, to insert the following: “30. Part 12 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting after section 55 the following:“55(A). (a) The Minister may introduce a legislative mechanism for a review of rates based on changes to value of a property from any cause.(b) The Minister may make regulations in relation to the...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I understand the Minister of State's point and the reception we are getting to understand the point we are trying to make is clear. I will withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment. The aim is to bring clarity to the area, to ensure that any person or company that has an interest in the property has a right to appeal to the tribunal. The word "person" may be understood to be a company, but this amendment aims to clear this up. I think it makes sense to have it.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State has explained that very well. I still have a concern over it and I think it would have been better to have "any interested party", but I understand the position the Minister of State has taken, so I withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I understand the point the Minister of State makes. The concern here is the length of time it takes for something to happen, for example after a bypass is built. I should not be talking about a specific petrol station all the time. There are many other instances. It is a typical example and is very easily understood. The difficulty is that reviews of any kind do not happen quickly enough...