Results 741-760 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (30 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: Not to the same extent.

Seanad: Sugar Beet Industry. (17 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: I thank the Senator for raising this issue and for his offer of support to the Minister for Agriculture and Food next week in her discussions at European level. I welcome the opportunity to inform Members of the current state of play regarding the discussions on the proposed reform of the EU sugar regime which will be the main item on the agenda of next week's meeting of the Council of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: The drugs problem is not only confined to Dublin. Since the Westies gang was broken up in Dublin, Carlow has seen a very significant increase in the amount of drugs in the county and in violence. There was a shooting in Carlow approximately a year ago which was directly related to drugs. We should widen the debate to include the entire country. The Padraig Nally case was discussed yesterday....

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: What about the Hanly report?

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: What is the status of the Hanly report?

Seanad: School Opening Hours. (10 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister to the House. I appreciate the fact she has come in person to the House and taken time out of her busy schedule to deal with this Adjournment matter. Both the Minister and I were teachers before entering politics. A lady came to my office recently and told me her daughter attends a school in Carlow town. The school day starts at 9.20 a.m. but the school has now...

Seanad: School Opening Hours. (10 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Ferns Report: Statements. (10 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: I apologise because I must leave after I speak, as the Joint Committee on Health and Children, of which I am a member, is meeting for a presentation by the MRSA and Families group. The Ferns Report is truly shocking. Unfortunately, every institution of the State is seen to fail miserably in it — the Department of Education and Science to some extent, the old health boards, the church...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: Last May while receiving treatment in Dublin, my father was told there was not one clean hospital in Dublin. I looked at him in disbelief when he told me this. Unfortunately the results of the hygiene survey published last week proves——

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: ——that the consultant who said it was not too far off the mark. It would be opportune for the House to have a debate on the hygiene report. I am very concerned that even though the report was flagged well in advance, 91% of hospitals did not come up to scratch and the audit was a month and a half late. This does not augur well for the future. There seem to be no targets, no sanctions and...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: The Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children should be invited to the House next week to outline her plans. This report is only the beginning. Will regular checks be carried out? The report only examined acute hospitals. Will the audit be extended to all other hospitals?

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: On another matter, I travelled by train from Galway this morning, passing through Athlone which is the Leader's base. It struck me that the land surrounding most train stations is totally derelict and this gives a very bad impression of the nearby towns. I ask for a debate on transport with the Minister for Transport to ascertain if the lands could be sold for affordable housing or else...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: I was quoting somebody who made that statement.

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2005: Second Stage. (9 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State and congratulate Senator Leyden on initiating this Bill. I also thank the Senator for his briefing on the Bill and his daughter for her excellent briefing on the purpose of the Bill. I broadly welcome the Bill. Fine Gael will support it in this House and I hope also in the Dáil. I recently made a will.

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2005: Second Stage. (9 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: Due to confidentiality I cannot say.

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2005: Second Stage. (9 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: I asked the lady who made the will with me the procedure solicitors follow. After making the will, they learn of the deaths of clients by reading the death notices in national newspapers. They then contact the family of the deceased. Given that many people do not put death notices in the newspapers, but rely on local radio, solicitors may miss deaths. After a person makes a will, 30, 40 or 50...

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2005: Second Stage. (9 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: If somebody who has an existing will wishes to record it centrally, will he or she be able to do so?

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2005: Second Stage. (9 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: I congratulate Senator Leyden on taking the initiative of drawing up the Bill, which took a lot of work. It will make life easier for families concerned. Are wills made by Irish citizens who live abroad covered by the Bill? Can Irish citizens living abroad register their wills? The absence of such a provision may lead to ambiguity. Perhaps these points may be addressed later.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: The long-awaited MRSA audit is due this afternoon, one and a half months behind schedule. I seek an early debate next week on that issue. It will be a major problem in the future and under the Health Act 1947 there is an onus on the health services to confine infectious diseases. We could be facing a major litigation battle if we do not act soon. The Government is not taking the issue as...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Nov 2005)

Fergal Browne: Senator Bannon raised it.