Results 641-660 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2005: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: I was referring to local radio.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2005: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: It is not.

Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, to the House. I appreciate her coming here in person to deal with this Adjournment matter. I telephoned the Minister's Department before Christmas to find out about the school building programme and was told that it would be announced on Christmas week. That did not happen, and I telephoned again in January and was told that it...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: I thank the Minister for her reply. The problem is that the school has been stuck on the first three stages for some time. It does not seem to be progressing and would like to move ahead. Perhaps the Minister might agree to meet representatives of the school. I will write to her privately on that afterwards. They will be very grateful to put their case to her.

Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: It is in it.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2005: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister and his officials to the House. I am deputising for Senator John Paul Phelan who cannot be here today and will do my best to represent the party. I took notes during the Minister's speech about different areas on which I will disagree with him. While I am not an economist I understand that a Minister for Finance controls only spending. He or she hopes revenue will come...

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2005: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: They are in the promised land now, so they might stay. I am sure the story is the same in Offaly.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2005: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: It surely is, but they might not appreciate it. These people get into their cars at 6.30 a.m., drop their children to a crèche, collect them at 7.00 p.m., and put them straight to bed. There are many downsides to this way of life. We have failed to plan in this area. It must be asked if this very significant increase in spending is sustainable on a long-term basis. We have economic cycles,...

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2005: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: They nearly are and if the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, has his way they will be shortly.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2005: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: The salmon cannot get up to the weir. Apart from the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, launching a vicious attack on "silly little fish" on local radio, he has done very little besides. We have seen a complete failure of systems there. He has appeared before the Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and is due back again, I believe, next week. The point is that no...

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2005: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: Sinn Féin might be at the table.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2005: Statements. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: Does the Senator favour Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin?

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: Yesterday we discussed the long Christmas recess. It is a poor reflection on us that this House will adjourn at 2 p.m. today when there are so many pressing issues to be discussed. We should invite the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government who went to the wrong court during the recess on the Sellafield issue. He also told this House that consumers would not pay extra...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: Some others could be excluded also.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: On the point raised by Senator Norris, a division was called in the Dáil and that is why the comments were not recorded.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: During our so-called recess the Joint Committee on Health and Children had a meeting on obesity and type 2 diabetes. It is amazing that GAA clubs around the country are being levied up to €10,000 per year for installation of flood lighting. It is time we had a debate on that issue. If voluntary clubs are doing their best to install the facilities to encourage maximum participation in sport,...

Seanad: Strategy for Men's Health: Statements. (25 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: I wish to share time with Senator Terry.

Seanad: Strategy for Men's Health: Statements. (25 Jan 2006)

Fergal Browne: The facts about men's health are quite startling. On average, Irish men die six years younger than Irish women and they have the second lowest life expectancy in the European Union prior to the last enlargement. Mortality rates among men vis-À-vis women are particularly pronounced in the case of transport accidents, where they are three times higher, and suicide and intentional self-harm,...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (15 Dec 2005)

Fergal Browne: In light of the Dáil rising today, I did not expect these amendments to be accepted, but felt there was an opportunity to put them on the record. We had a very good meeting recently with the Minister's colleague, the Tánaiste, along with Deputies Breen and McGuinness, on the MRSA issue. It is shocking to think that people are swabbed when they go into hospital and are proven to have MRSA....

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (15 Dec 2005)

Fergal Browne: The Labour Party and the Progressive Democrats can work together after all.