Results 561-580 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Order of Business (8 May 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I wish to second Senator van Turnhout's proposal.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 May 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The issue of carbon monoxide was introduced in a Bill in this House only last month. At the time, the Minister, Deputy Hogan, explained that he thought this could be done in a different way. I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Hogan, because over the weekend he announced he was adjusting the building regulations to achieve precisely what Members set out to do. I believe he deserves credit...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs (Resumed): Credit Review Office and Chambers Ireland (6 May 2014)

Feargal Quinn: In my experience with small retailers, I find they have a serious lack of professionalism and need help. Where are they going to get that help? I was delighted to hear about Chamber Ireland’s road show. How is Chambers Ireland financed? Does it have the funding to do this road show?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs (Resumed): Credit Review Office and Chambers Ireland (6 May 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome Mr. Trethowan. He mentioned earlier that there can be problems with cash flow, rather than working finance. Is this not anticipated by the traders and the SMEs? Is there a lack of professionalism in that area? Are the reasons the banks give for their refusals logical? Do they seem understandable? The banks seemed to be far too lax in the past. On the basis of what Mr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs (Resumed): Credit Review Office and Chambers Ireland (6 May 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I referred to Mr. Trethowan's statement that "we will encourage the bank to make the loan".

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs (Resumed): Credit Review Office and Chambers Ireland (6 May 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Okay.

Seanad: End-of-Life Care and Bereavement: Motion (16 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Could the Minister of State indicate where we stand in terms of the provision of specialist training for family doctors in end-of-life care? Are there any plans to introduce such training? I congratulate those who tabled the motion and I congratulate the Minister of State on accepting the position and not going ahead with the amendment.

Seanad: End-of-Life Care and Bereavement: Motion (16 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is very welcome and the step she has taken in withdrawing the amendment is also welcome, because it means this debate is welcomed by the Government. I know something of the Think Ahead project, which is part of the Irish Hospice Foundation's forum on end of life in Ireland. It is a fantastic initiative which aims at awareness-raising, planning and promoting public...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013: Second Stage (15 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister is welcome to the House and this Bill is also welcome. I went to live in Howth 40 years ago and I live by the sea. Over those years, I have grown very fond of seeing the amount of activity that takes place on it. We recently had a visitor from Hull who could not get over it. He told me that when he was growing up, Hull was as busy as is Dublin Bay now. However, it is very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs: Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank and AIB (15 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Do quite a few apply without a well prepared business plan?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs: Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank and AIB (15 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: Mr. Bernard Byrne said there is a perception that refusal of credit for SMEs is much higher than is actually the case. Mr. Byrne stated there is a 92% approval rate. Is that 92% of those who apply? If so, what percentage is drawn down, particularly by SMEs? As one of the owners of the bank, I want it to be profitable and to do well. I was involved for four years helping a number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs: Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank and AIB (15 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the witnesses. I was fascinated by the figure that 50% of loans approved are drawn down. Can we get some idea of why that happens? We are here to talk about SMEs because we hear so much about SMEs having great difficulty getting loans. What advice would the witnesses give to an SME about what it must do to get the bank's willingness to approve loans? Why are only 50% drawn down...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs: Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank and AIB (15 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: In recent years I have been involved with retailers on a television show and I found the majority of them state it is no good going to the bank. They have almost talked themselves out of going to the bank to get a loan. I was amazed to discover that when we held their hands they were able to get loans in practically all cases, but they need this help. What basic mistake is made by those...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: This is a great opportunity to pay tribute to the team up there. I know when the Tipperary team take to the hurling pitch they are unbeatable.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: They are not quite unbeatable but there are almost unbeatable. I had not realised until today that between Golden and Rathcabbin we have a Tipperary team in the House. We are losing half of it today but I hope we are not losing it permanently. I imagine Jody will keep in touch with us after all those years. I have been here for 21 years and she was one of the first people I picked up the...

Seanad: Care of the Elderly: Motion (9 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is very welcome to the House for this interesting and worthwhile debate. I should declare an interest in that, having checked Nealon's Guide, I see that I am the oldest Member of the Oireachtas. I agree with Senator Gilroy in that I do not see anything wrong with the Fianna Fáil motion. I do not think there was a need to table an amendment because it could have...

Seanad: Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (8 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I understand the position. We debated this on Committee Stage as well. The Minister of State says that if that is to happen then it will come back to the House but what if it slips through and does not get seen or noticed? I am somewhat concerned about that. I can understand why the Minister of State says it is disproportionate and unwieldy and that the Parliament has a degree of...

Seanad: Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (8 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I accept the point made by the Minister of State to the effect that it would be disproportionate in respect of 21 days notice and on that basis I will not push the amendment.

Seanad: Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (8 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I congratulate the Minister of State on the Bill. The intention of the Bill is certainly worthy of support. Any efforts made on Second and Committee Stages were to improve the Bill in some form or other. I appreciate the work of the Minister of State and his team in explaining the points made. Second and Committee Stages were most worthy. Several Government amendments have been taken and...

Seanad: Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (8 Apr 2014)

Feargal Quinn: I believe that we have established in this nation an anti-business attitude. The response many times is to leave solutions to problems to business. In Britain, and a number of other countries, a one-in one-out system has been introduced. This means for each new piece of legislation introduced an old one must be withdrawn, particularly legislation related to small business. Britain is now...