Results 441-460 of 1,451 for speaker:Michael Finucane

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: Mallow is an old hospital, and it was top of the list in cleanliness terms.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: Like the Senator herself.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: It is a compliment.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: There was a most disturbing episode last weekend when 13 Latvians were left stranded on an island off Skerries. It was disgraceful to leave them on that island, particularly in those terrible weather conditions. They had no shelter. Thankfully, they were able to contact the mainland by mobile telephone. Recently, there has been much discussion about Irish Ferries and a race to the bottom as a...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: I am. If this country is to project the right image internationally, this type of situation should not emerge. It behoves us to respect these immigrants. They are making a vital contribution to our economy. The inspectorate must be strengthened so it can monitor this area.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: Give him a copy of the script.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: I am pleased that the emphasis has been on safety and on the improvements in safety over the past few years. Like many other people, I am bitterly disappointed in the way Iarnród Éireann has scaled down freight activities. It has obviously scaled down for economic reasons, but what disappoints me is the lack of incentive for companies to go into rail freight. I come from Foynes and in the...

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: Quite a number of people will drive to Limerick as the road network is very modern. They can buy a house in Newcastle West as it is much cheaper than in Limerick city and its suburbs. If they live on the Newcastle West side of the city, they will often get to their factory destination quicker than if they lived on the opposite side of the city. However, the retrograde step was taken many...

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: "Proportionately" was the word for which I was looking. I am sure Senator Dooley will react to my sentiments on the following issue. He will be aware of the concern in the mid-west region about the open skies policy. To a certain degree, people in the area have embraced the open skies concept. The Minister said it will happen. The Mid West Regional Authority and the business interests in the...

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: Senator Dooley spoke earlier and I listened with great interest to what he said. He praised all and sundry. It is not for me as an Opposition Member to do that. Many of the commitments made have not been delivered.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: I will give credit where it is due.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: I am a constructive politician.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: It is not negative. Senator Dooley represents the mid-west region. I read in a newspaper that he is likely to be a candidate in Clare in the next general election, and good luck to him.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: I hope the issues about which I spoke do not come back to haunt him. I will remind the people in the area that when I spoke about the open skies policy and the changes to be made, Senator Dooley said I was negative. I will tell The Clare Champion what he said to me. Senator Dooley likes publicity.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: This confrontation is terrible. It was so peaceful earlier.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: I will not go over the issue of Midleton, Navan and the signs erected by the poor Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, which read "Dempsey Delivers". Part of what was promised in 1999 will be delivered in 2010 and the other part in 2015. God help the poor Minister if he must wait that length of time. Having made my usual constructive contribution, I...

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: What year was that?

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Second Stage. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: The year 1997 is usually the one mentioned.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: The National Safety Council is a very well respected body and it is worth bearing in mind that last year, the Irish Insurance Federation gave it funding of €1.2 million and gave the same amount in 2001. Last year insurance companies made almost €400 million in profits and I regard the amount of money they gave to the National Safety Council as derisory. Last year the Government gave the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Nov 2005)

Michael Finucane: Only four of the 69 penalty point offences announced by the former Minister for Transport, Deputy Brennan, have been implemented. I would like the new Minister to come to the House to outline his plans on road safety and see whether they are different from those of the former Minister, so that we do not have this ongoing carnage on our roads.