Results 1,001-1,020 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Tánaiste to the House and thank her for giving her opinion on the matter in hand. The phrase "collective responsibility" springs to mind. In 2002 the outgoing Government of the Progressive Democrats and Fianna Fáil rejoiced and proclaimed the great deeds they had achieved and what they would do after the general election. That approach has now been abandoned and the blame game...

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: That is the perception.

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: This is typical of Fianna Fáil; when there is trouble it muddies the waters and harks back to the past.

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: The Tánaiste is prejudging the outcome.

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: It begs the question of why there is a need to hold an inquiry if the result is already known.

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: The Tánaiste is aware of what constitutes collective responsibility. She has been lucky enough to be in Cabinet for almost eight years. She should have discussed this but she did not. The major decision to award medical cards to over-70 year olds in 2001 was not properly thought out and has led to this unholy mess. The Government wants to turn the clock back and go back years. It is being...

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: In 2003 one health board went to the bother of obtaining an 80-page legal opinion which concluded that the charges were illegal. The most shocking aspect of this sorry saga is that patients in nursing homes and their families who queried their obligation to pay were able to get away with not paying. However, anyone unable to speak up for him or herself continued to pay. I agree with the...

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: We are fully in favour of that approach. I was in contact with the Health Service Executive yesterday and was informed that the practice of the former health board in the Carlow area was that 75% of a pension was taken, which makes perfect sense. Nobody would query that. The Government and politicians have failed miserably. We should not forget that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law...

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: Nobody was happy with that scenario. We should learn from those mistakes. If people have been wronged they deserve compensation. The last thing we need is for taxpayers to be doubly punished by large legal teams capitalising on the issue. The Supreme Court ruled that there is nothing wrong with having charges for long-term care. I do not know any political party that would quibble with that...

Seanad: Nursing Home Charges: Statements. (23 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: It would make sense for people to know their care entitlements when they reach a certain age. That is sorely lacking at present. It is a failure of the previous Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, that when medical cards were introduced for over-70 year olds, such a Bill was not introduced at the same time. We need to clarify exactly to what people are entitled as they grow...

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: I support Senator White's call regarding historical documents which makes good sense. We should preserve historical State documents for public knowledge and scrutiny. Yesterday the Minister for Defence, Deputy O'Dea, opened a new Michael Collins museum in Cork. This is long overdue and a welcome development. It is important we recognise famous historical figures who paid dearly with their...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: I concur with most of the comments made by other Senators about the Northern peace process. I call on the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to publish information available to him to remove any lingering public doubts. The public are cynical and sceptical and we need to remove any such thoughts from their minds. It is very important that we publish the facts and let the public...

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: Taxpayers and the elderly will pay. It is time we had a serious debate on this issue and I hope that this time the Government will listen. It was told all this in December but did not listen. Its arrogance got it nowhere. I welcome the decision by the GAA to discuss the opening up of Croke Park. That is an important issue. Everyone in the House is a sports fanatic. Perhaps the Minister for...

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: It is daft that people are paying up to €1,200 for tickets for the Ireland-England game——

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: ——when there could be a double cost saving in Croke Park. It is time the Minister came to the House for a debate on sport.

Seanad: Mental Health Commission Annual Report 2003: Statements. (17 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister and his officials to the House. I am amused to see the Minister's speech include phrases like "are now being considered", "should be developed in the future", "priority" and "commitment". The word "will" must be in the Minister's speech hundreds of times and much of the speech is aspirational. The Minister of State and his Department are in grave danger of becoming so...

Seanad: Mental Health Commission Annual Report 2003: Statements. (17 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: They did not support the Minister of State's senior colleague in her difficulty with the nursing homes. Perhaps they were saving their energy for this morning's debate. I look forward to their contributions.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: Rubbish.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: It goes back to 2001.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Feb 2005)

Fergal Browne: It is a pity she did not listen the last time.