Results 1,501-1,520 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: People used to ask whether someone was in the GPO in 1916. Our descendents will ask those of us who are Members of both Houses where we were when this crisis occurred. Today is not a day for blame. It was interesting to hear people say let us avoid the blame game. Let us remind ourselves of the importance of what the Minister for Finance is trying to achieve tonight. He is trying to...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: When we are focused on reducing public costs, small gestures can bring a significant amount of comfort and joy to people. My mother-in-law, Grace Prendergast, is 101 years old today.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: We are proud of the fact. Yesterday, she received a letter from President McAleese congratulating her on her 101st birthday. Last year was a big birthday and she received more than a letter, but she also received a medal this year. I gather that the President has initiated a scheme whereby someone not only receives a large gift at his or her 100th birthday, but also something for...

Seanad: EU Directive on Temporary Agency Work: Statements (10 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister and am very interested in what he has had to say. I was impressed, as Senator Carty noted, that temporary agency workers account for only 2% of the work force. I employed quite a few people in my career and I would like to tell the House about one such employee, called John, who worked in our Ballinteer store. About 18 years ago, he came to me in mid-December and...

Seanad: European Council: Statements (9 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State and endorse the point made by the Senator Leyden on the attendance of the Minister of State. The attendance of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State at the meeting of the Joint Committee on European Affairs is a very useful development. The report by the Minister of State on the meeting that took place on 28 and 29 October gives us an...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: A British politician once said that the duty of the Opposition is to oppose, which I have never supported or quite understood. It is the duty of every elected person to ensure legislation to protect society as a whole. The whole question of consensus must, therefore, as Senator Boyle stated and Commissioner Rehn suggested, come into being. We are faced with a serious situation. However, we...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: Those who say that our minds should remain closed to this will damage opportunities for Irish agriculture and farming. We must remain open minded and consider whether genetically modified foods have a future. Let us not jump to suggesting there is no future in it and condemn it on that basis. I ask that the Leader provide time in the near future for a debate on that matter.

Seanad: Report of Joint Committee: Motion (4 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State. It is always a joy to hear him speak, whether from a script or even more so when he speaks off the cuff. As he is present, I take the opportunity to comment on something Senator Joe O'Reilly touched upon. He referred to the curlew which is under huge threat. Although it is very rare, it is, amazingly, on the list of birds that may be shot from this month....

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: Senators Mooney and Donohoe reminded us of the positive attitude we should be taking and Senator O'Toole also reminded us of the good news on the employment and export figures and the fact we are the best and most attractive country for foreign direct investment. I mention this because we cannot say these things often enough. We hear enough negativity and we can do something about it....

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (3 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I wish to share time with Deputy Mullen.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (3 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: This has been an interesting debate and I thank Senator O'Toole for tabling the motion. I was delighted to hear Senator O'Malley's words. She spoke openly and clearly about her views on what happens in the House. The concept behind the House was correct back in 1937 when Eamon de Valera held the view that there was a need for a second Chamber. What he tried to put together was a House...

Seanad: Overcrowding in Prisons: Statements (3 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Barry Andrews. The Minister for Justice and Law Reform's contribution was very interesting and I learned much from it. He said 1,900 new prison places have been created in recent years. I saw a television programme the other night called "Bad Fellas". Afterwards, I spoke to a former Garda Commissioner who updated me on some of the figures. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: Those of us who come from a business background are always surprised with regard to the length of time it takes for the Government and the public sector to move. The Croke Park agreement came into being approximately five months ago. In such circumstances, it seems that a long time passed before the Minister for Health and Children made her announcement to the effect that numbers in the HSE...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: We have not heard-----

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Nov 2010)

Feargal Quinn: There is a sense of urgency, not just at Government level but also in Opposition. That should happen. I was delighted to see a proposal that the cruise ships coming to Dublin should come in to the centre of the city or further up the river. It is a smashing idea. I was in Cobh quite a lot and 53 cruise ships came into it last year. They come into the centre of the town and passengers can...

Seanad: Macro-Economic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (28 Oct 2010)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is welcome. It is an interesting time to have this debate but it is also an essential time. An recent article in The Economist entitled "Grow, dammit, grow!" referred to the need for the world economy to grow. We must be ready for that growth when it happens. By January, when the Government has to start borrowing again, we need to have done enough to convince the...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Oct 2010)

Feargal Quinn: As I gather we are to have a debate this afternoon, this is not the time to raise the issue. However, I would like to address one particular point that has been made on a number of occasions. This right-wing group in question has referred to as a "Catholic right-wing group". It cannot, in any sense, be held up as a Catholic right-wing group.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Oct 2010)

Feargal Quinn: It is very definitely, however, a right-wing group. Senator O'Donovan mentioned that someone had telephoned a radio programme this morning to compliment the group on the help it had given to the family. It did not help the family, rather it helped the parents to the detriment of the children.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Oct 2010)

Feargal Quinn: We need to be very careful in the words we use on this occasion. Next week we shall all be sad at the loss of the extra hour of daylight in the evenings. I am sorry for repeating myself, but this is an old topic of mine. One of the reasons we have not changed is that the British have not changed and we do not want to have different times in Dundalk and Newry or Dublin and Belfast. The good...