Results 681-700 of 1,451 for speaker:Michael Finucane

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Feb 2005)

Michael Finucane: Hear, hear. Good cop, bad cop.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Feb 2005)

Michael Finucane: It is a disgrace.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Feb 2005)

Michael Finucane: I support Senator Morrissey regarding the proposed changes to the driving test. They are pretty basic, involving checking oil levels and how to hoot one's horn. Why is nothing serious being done about the long backlog for driving tests throughout the country? In my area of Newcastle West the waiting period is nine months. If the Department was serious in intent, then instead of introducing...

Seanad: Future Development of An Post: Statements. (3 Feb 2005)

Michael Finucane: When is it proposed to sit again?

Seanad: Future Development of An Post: Statements. (3 Feb 2005)

Michael Finucane: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. If the Minister of State had sat in on yesterday's meeting on the postal structure, what he would have said today would have been considerably different. To quote Shakespeare's Hamlet, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark". Yesterday I learned that something was seriously wrong when a trade union official described management as a pack of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Michael Finucane: I got them and I noted they will go out of date at the end of March.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Michael Finucane: Yes.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Michael Finucane: In 2002, the Government decided to issue over 14 million iodine tablets to every house in the country——

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Michael Finucane: ——in response to fears of a nuclear attack. The tablets are due to expire in March of this year. Perhaps the Leader can ask the Minister for Health and Children whether it has been decided to issue new iodine tablets to replace the old ones.

Seanad: Matter raised under Standing Order 30. (27 Jan 2005)

Michael Finucane: Kantoher Chicken Products has been synonymous with industry and providing worthwhile jobs in the west Limerick area. The Kantoher area has been involved for some time in poultry production. Yesterday's announcement by the Kerry Group that the factory will close on 4 March left many surprised. There were certain rumours and speculation throughout Christmas that the company was in difficulty....

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jan 2005)

Michael Finucane: He would not listen.

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jan 2005)

Michael Finucane: The jailing of Ray Burke for tax evasion has already been raised. However, I wish to raise the matter of the debate that took place in 1997 when Ray Burke was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs. I believed then that the Taoiseach made a serious error of judgment. While the Taoiseach now claims the benefit of hindsight, in 1997 he had the benefit of Mr. Albert Reynolds's experience as...

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Dec 2004)

Michael Finucane: A refund.

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Dec 2004)

Michael Finucane: "We want the elderly to be able to live out their retirement in dignity and security without having to worry about the State confiscating their savings." Those words were spoken by the Tánaiste, Deputy Harney, in 1996. She was in Opposition then but now she is Tánaiste. I want to refer to the health charges and the €2,000 refund to be made to patients. I am appalled that the entire amount...

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Dec 2004)

Michael Finucane: It may well be so.

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Dec 2004)

Michael Finucane: We would be adamant that such money should be appropriately refunded. In this context, the people concerned are entitled to a full refund.

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Dec 2004)

Michael Finucane: We had a debate in this House on Aer Lingus some time ago. During that debate we were promised that a decision would be made prior to Christmas when the sub-committee had concluded its deliberations and made a decision on the future of the company. We now understand this decision has been deferred, possibly to the end of the January. If procrastination means anything, what is happening is...

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Dec 2004)

Michael Finucane: We want ethics in this debate.

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Dec 2004)

Michael Finucane: I welcome the fact that the Taoiseach has decided to bring this issue to finality.

Seanad: Northern Ireland Peace Process: Motion. (15 Dec 2004)

Michael Finucane: I apologise for not being present for the Taoiseach's contribution. I would have liked to have heard him but I was delayed at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Article 35.4.1° of the Constitution. I rarely speak on Northern Ireland issues in the House but I have recently felt rather emotional about them. What has probably energised me is the unfair criticism on the part of Fianna Fáil to...