Results 801-820 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: I move amendment No. 8: In page 5, column 2, line 6, to delete "'Wicklow"' and substitute "'Wicklow-North East Carlow". There is not much need to expand on the amendment. It gives constituencies a proper title.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: Senator Bradford may speak to amendment No. 9. Amendments Nos. 8 and 11 are similar. County Sligo is with south County Leitrim and County Roscommon is with north County Leitrim.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: They have been given proper titles. Senator Bradford and I want the constituencies to be given proper geographical titles so as to reflect their contents. The constituency of Wicklow is misleading. It is County Wicklow and a sizeable section of north-east County Carlow. That could be reflected in its title.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: Offaly would be okay this year.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: Does the Senator want Vincent Browne trailing around after her?

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: I move amendment No. 7: In page 5, column 2, to delete all words from and including "Carlow", in line 4 down to and including "Wicklow." in line 6 and substitute "Carlow.". The Minister and I have a conflict of interest in regard to this amendment and he will be glad to know I do not intend to press it to a vote. I have put it down as a marker because although I accept the electoral...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: Senator Mansergh mentioned that a section of south County Tipperary is included in the Waterford constituency. The possibility that some part of south Kilkenny might also transfer into the Waterford constituency is a nightmare.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: It would be good if Senator Bradford could do so. I take this opportunity to put this issue of electoral boundaries on the agenda. Even the name of the Wicklow constituency is disingenuous and it should be renamed Wicklow North-Carlow East. North-east Carlow is quite a substantial section of the constituency and that should be acknowledged. Perhaps the Minister will give it back. I doubt the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: A census is due in 2006. The Government would have us believe that it will remain in power until 2007. Recent weeks would suggest otherwise but we may return to a different political scenario in the new term. If the census is carried out in 2006 and figures are available by the time a general election is held in 2007, will there be a revisit and a rethinking of constituencies? A few months...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: What exact date?

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: We should consider allowing people who are going on holidays to apply for a temporary postal vote. When elections are held in May or June, many people are unable to vote because they have already planned to go on holidays for a period of time that includes the polling date. We should consider giving temporary postal votes to people who can submit travel vouchers showing that they have booked...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: Perhaps. However, we will counteract that. In the case of the presidential or European elections, if one is within one's Dáil constituency, one should be able to vote. Local elections are different because one must vote in a specified area. We should examine the advantages of the PPS number system. On the question of notifying people who are being removed from the voting register, they...

Seanad: Accident and Emergency Services. (29 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: Last week, the Government made one of its most embarrassing mistakes in its eight year record, which is some achievement, when the Minister for Health and Children finally announced the €564 million capital programme for hospitals throughout the country. In the meantime, St. Luke's hospital, Kilkenny, was being praised at the Cabinet table for having managed its limited resources so well...

Seanad: Accident and Emergency Services. (29 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: Can the canteen issue be re-examined? It is a small matter that could make a major difference. A problem exists within the HSE. Some in the HSE are claiming that the application went in before the final announcement, which makes no sense. Even in the Minister of State's reply it was stated that a whole hospital brief was prepared in 2003. This is an issue that should be examined, as somebody...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to the House. This is a missed opportunity on a number of points. I am not happy that Carlow is being split again. I accept Senator Brady's point about accepting the entire package, but this may cause problems for small counties. I feel sorry for Leitrim which is now at a huge disadvantage because it has been split in two. The Constitution...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: I support the Leader of the Opposition, Senator Brian Hayes, in his call for a debate on risk equalisation. Yesterday's decision was a terrible mistake. It is worth pointing out that BUPA makes 17% profit in Ireland, in comparison to 5% profit in its UK operation. The recent statement by BUPA that it would pull out of the Irish market if risk equalisation were introduced was both childish and...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: Yes. Both BUPA and VHI have increased their prices by 97% in the past seven years and the consumer does not get value for money. It is a regrettable decision and we should have a debate in the House before the recess.

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: I also ask the Leader to inquire from the Tánaiste about the report on sudden adult death which was due out last May and still has not been published. I ask her to find out when exactly it will be published. On Friday the Minister for Agriculture and Food will be in the House to discuss the Veterinary Practice Bill. It might be an opportune time to have a debate on the sugar beet industry....

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: I join with colleagues in calling for an urgent debate on the sugar beet industry. Fine Gael tabled a Private Members' motion on this matter in January and, unfortunately, our worst fears have been realised. It is time we had an urgent debate on the matter. It is worth pointing out that the sugar beet industry is a very lucrative one which made profits of over €10 million last year. I wish...

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Jun 2005)

Fergal Browne: When the report is published we should remember the time of year it was carried out. I seek a debate on the announcement yesterday on child care by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. As a former teacher I do not believe it is possible to use schools in the way the Minister outlined. It is a good idea in theory but a bad one in practice. It could be done if schools had spare...