Results 421-440 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Minister for his explanation, but I am still not happy. Section 2 states: " "service provider" means a person who, at the time the request was made...". While the present Attorney General has said it also applies to a company, I question whether a future Attorney General or a lawyer might argue very strongly that he or she understood it to mean a person or individual. Senator...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Yesterday, HIQA published a report based on the defibrillator Bill that was allowed to be initiated in the House last year. Following the publication of the Bill, the Minister said he wanted information and asked HIQA to report on it. The Bill was handled in this House, and we need to discuss it because the Minister said he would make decisions based on it sometime in the next few weeks....

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I will jump up and say it is a perfect answer.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (24 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Simon Harris, who is getting fond of this House. We are getting fond of him too on that basis. When I looked at the Bill I realised that I know very little about betting and very little about gambling. I got to Las Vegas once, on the day of the Kentucky Derby. I met someone on the aeroplane to America who told me there was an Irish horse running...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Thank you. I will be careful with my time. The Minister is very welcome. He has been a regular in the House not only in his previous ministerial post but in this post as well. I am pleased to see him in the House again. Senator Crown, in particular, and Senator Cullinane used the opportunity to remind the Minister of the confidence we have in him. There is confidence in the Minister....

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Insurance is in the interests of the customer - that is, the patient - and the doctor as well. Such required insurance is the norm in many European Union countries and we need to move towards that standard. I am pleased to note that the Bill also brings the EU directive regarding patients' rights into effect. Will the Minister give patients more information on how they can get some sort of...

Seanad: Order of Business - Order of Business (24 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Interestingly, I raised the issue of doctors yesterday and spoke about medical students, the huge tax implications and how it might be possible to overcome that in some way. Unless we solve that, we will be unable to reach a solution for the issues raised by Senators Mullins and Colm Burke. It is a big challenge but it is our responsibility to do something about it. Some days ago I met a...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I support amendment No. 12. I have argued for many years that it takes a long time to get things done in this House and the Lower House. I am one of those who has argued for speed and alacrity in this area but in this case Senator Barrett is exactly right. The three-month period provided for is too short and should be extended.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The graduate entry medical programme is important if we are to develop greater numbers of doctors, but there is a problem. This problem arises where these students must pay from €12,000 to €14,000 per year for as long as seven years, ending up with a debt of approximately €100,000. I know one person who has ended up with a debt of €130,000. These students have...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Harris. The Minister, Deputy Howlin, explained the Bill well before the Minister of State arrived. I remember well the introduction of the 1997 Bill and I was doubtful as to whether we should support it. I have now become an enthusiastic supporter of freedom of information and I wish to make some suggestions for improvement. I got some information...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Last year, we had a very interesting debate on the Food Provenance Bill and I believe I got wholehearted support. However, the Minister said he wished to delay it because the Food Provenance Bill was aimed at identifying the ingredients in processed food and particularly after the horsemeat scandal that occurred the previous year, that was understandable. The Minister said that Europe was...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: May I also use this opportunity to urge the Leader to accept the Bill proposed by Senator Fidelma Healy Eames? I ask that we do not wait until after the budget because this is an important Bill that must be discussed. I urge the Leader to find time in the near future because the budget is only a month away. I previously raised the issue of the amount of paper we use here and my annoyance...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: It is good to be back after the summer and it is good to have something to celebrate, particularly that we have had a wedding in the House. Senator Crown did not go outside the House to find his bride, unlike Senator Bradford, who did so a couple of years ago. I congratulate Senator Crown on this joyous occasion. We wish him very well. As a little wedding present, I will second his amendment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Review of Vote 32: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (16 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I would like to ask a question about regulation. It seems that every time legislation is passed by the two Houses of the Oireachtas, someone says "somebody should do something about that". That is why we introduce new regulations. I suggest that as soon as we do so, we restrict the opportunity for somebody to respond. Consumers are always looking for more control. The French authorities...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Review of Vote 32: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (16 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: That is a challenge for me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Review of Vote 32: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (16 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: If the Minister of State had more money, would he spend it? Is he saying that the Department is under spending or over spending?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Review of Vote 32: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (16 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Is the Minister of State is saying that if there was money available he could do something with it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Review of Vote 32: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (16 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: We have heard criticism over the years from those involved in FDI that they could not attract the required levels of skills here and there were difficulties in importing skills. What is the current situation? Do we have the right skills? Is it possible for those from other parts of the world to knock on the door and say they would like to live here? Will they be allowed immediate entry?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Review of Vote 32: Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (16 Sep 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Thank you and you are very welcome, a Chathaoirligh. I am delighted to have you on board and delighted to have you put us in our place in future - I imagine you will - as the Minister of State, Deputy English, did when he was in that place. I welcome the Minister of State back to the committee as well. I have a concern in regard to jobs in general. There is still a belief that jobs are...

Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister. We have not had a chance to welcome him until today and are very pleased to have him here. I was born in 1936, a long time ago. I have lived in an Ireland that, with the exception of Northern Ireland, has not had a war in all that time. We have been able to stay out of it for various reasons. Ireland joined the European Union in 1973 and there has been no war in...