Results 361-380 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I will speak to section 1. Last year, 600,000 people voted to retain the Seanad. They did not intend to retain it as it was; they intended to have a reformed House. This Bill is an effort to bring about that reform. I listened very carefully to Senator Norris and I think that is exactly the reason for having a Committee Stage debate, so that we can discuss and debate these things and...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment. At a time when almost everything is moving towards more and more information being made freely available, on this occasion it seems to be a step backwards. I can understand one or two of the points that have been made by Senator Sean D. Barrett, but it seems to be far too broad, far too wide, and I urge the Minister to seriously reconsider restricting the amount from...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment. I do not wish to repeat what Senator Barrett has stated but the aim of this is to avoid confusion and help the Minister. I hope it is taken into consideration by her, if not in this House certainly in the Dáil.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I support what Senator Barrett has said. These amendments have been tabled in order to help the Minister. The Minister has experience of the Seanad herself and knows that we are not all that uppity - although we are a little bit uppity - as to believe that if we initiate a Bill in this House it is a pity to take it away and have it changed in the other House. That is the way things go on,...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment. I do not need to repeat everything that Senator Barrett said but we had a very good debate here previously. We understood that we were being listened to and heard and that attention would be given to the cases made. To come back on Report Stage with absolutely nothing seems strange. It is not the aim of this House to just be a talking shop and not achieve something....

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: There is a crisis in the private pension sector. The leader of the industry stated recently that confidence has never been so low in the sector. Senator Darragh O'Brien recently raised the huge crisis for the pension schemes in Dublin Airport Authority and Aer Lingus but I do not think we have debated the wider issue of pensions recently. I suggest it is time to have a debate on what is...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I add my voice to those of Senators who have spoken about the late Mr. Brian Farrell whom I got to know in UCD. However, I do not have stories about him to compare with those of other Senators, but I regarded him very highly. I was away yesterday and did not realise the former Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Joe Walsh, had died. Senator Terry Leyden has mentioned that Mr. Walsh was a Member...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014: Discussion (11 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I accept that, but I have a concern. In the years ahead I look forward to seeing whether it works out. I wish the Minister of State well with the legislation, but let us make sure it will work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014: Discussion (11 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is very welcome and I am glad to see him.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014: Discussion (11 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I am happy to hand over.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014: Discussion (11 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I will concentrate on a particular point of concern, which is head 15. Head 15 provides that the rate of basic pay recommended by the court may be in excess of the national minimum wage. I have always had a concern about competition across borders. We have one of the highest minimum wage rates in Europe and, until recently, also had one of its highest unemployment rates. There is a link...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I agree with a great deal of Senator Whelan's comments. Regrettably, many of us did not get an opportunity to debate the matter yesterday. I was impressed by the Minister, Deputy Kelly. He spoke well and was clear in what he stated. I wish to address a specific point on which I want to reconvene the debate. According to the Minister, "over 800 km of the water pipes in Dublin are well in...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Yesterday a number of Senators raised the problem of diesel laundering in Border counties. The system we have does not work and we must do something about it. That part of the country is almost like mafia territory. The Revenue Commissioners estimate 150 filling stations do not obey the law and use fuel with a dye in it. We were told the new dye would work and that it would be impossible...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2014: First Stage (4 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to remove the power of Irish Water to request persons to provide Irish Water with their Personal Public Service Numbers and for that purpose to amend the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 and to provide for related matters.We hope, if it is accepted, to be able to introduce it next Tuesday.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Amendment) Bill 2014: First Stage (4 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I would like to move an amendment to the Order of Business proposing that No. 13 be taken before No. 1. It is very pertinent that this topic should be taken, particularly in view of the debate we will have tomorrow. According to an article in today's The Irish Times, the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, is investigating the possibility of giving the diaspora a vote in future presidential...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I understood there was a vote. Certainly some voices said "No". It was not unanimous. This issue deserves a debate. Senator Mooney described it well when he said we must not ignore the fact that Palestine was dropping rockets into residential areas in Israel over and over again, and Israel retaliated in the end. Let us just make sure there is balance in that debate. It is 450 days since...