Results 1,201-1,220 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Passport Regulations. (1 Dec 2004)

Fergal Browne: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: They have been abandoned.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: Why did the former Minister, Deputy McCreevy, not consult with the unions?

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: The Government did not do its homework.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: With one fifth of the required staff available. Who does the Senator think he is kidding?

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: Were the PDs involved?

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: I wish to share my time with Senator Brian Hayes.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: The Leas-Chathaoirleach has been very generous in giving time to those on the opposite benches. The main point of the decentralisation debate is that the homework was not done beforehand. The announcement was made in the budget, where it had no place. In the budget, the Minister should make announcements concerning changes in archaic and outdated limits in the social welfare area which are...

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: The antics of the Minister of State last year were deplorable and gave politics a bad name. I am glad he was not rewarded in the local elections because politics was given a bad name. I am glad that my friends in the Luggacuran area, Councillors Moran and Daly, came first and second in the poll. For all of us, that sent out a good signal that these gimmicky antics will get us nowhere and will...

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: Senator Kitt asked a useful question on the spatial strategy. Where is it and what is it? We have forgotten all about it. It was launched with great fanfare and we have not heard about it since. It has made no difference at all.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: Why did the Government not consult beforehand?

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: There was a very quickreaction.

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: I concur with the requests for a debate on the NRA and road safety. We should include in the debate the option of making crash barriers removable in sections. Such a facility would mean that if a crash takes place, at least traffic could be diverted, avoiding a massive build-up of traffic stretching for miles, as witnessed over the past few weekends. Crash barriers should be removable in...

Seanad: Telecommunications Services. (25 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I have already spoken about this matter in a general debate on communications. This issue will be a hot potato in the years ahead. As we move forward we will be able to receive e-mails, texts, photographs and so on by wireless technology. We will nonetheless pay a price in another respect. In order to do this, we need to have the proper...

Seanad: Telecommunications Services. (25 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I wish to take up his last point about the ComReg website, which I have visited and found to have good and bad aspects. It is good that it can be searched on the basis of a map of Ireland or by typing in key words. If one wants to check if there is a nursing home in County Donegal with a base station, one can do so by searching through the County...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (25 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: In this case I was in SenatorHenry's wardrobe. On Second Stage she made a very clear point about hearings being held in public instead of private. I picked up on it on Committee Stage. It obviously makes sense to hear some cases in private, while at other times they are suitable to hear in public. It might suit a person being pursued in the profession to have a case heard publicly as it would...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (25 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: May we speak on it?

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (25 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: I have grave difficulty with the amendment. To answer Senator O'Rourke's question——

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (25 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: Until two weeks ago I did not know what a physical therapist did and I am glad to know somebody as experienced as Senator O'Rourke did not know either. Now I know what they are and do and seem to hear about them every hour of the day. Physical therapists are a separate entity. As far as I know they get a pass degree but some go on and do postgraduate studies. They are in existence for the...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (25 Nov 2004)

Fergal Browne: The Minister of State is acutely aware that he is part of a coalition Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government.