Results 1,601-1,620 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: I thought Senator Jim Walsh said that if people are elderly, they should not go to jail. I apologise if it was not Senator Walsh. I believe the laws apply to everybody and even if people go to jail for one day, it proves that nobody is above the law and they should adhere to the rules.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Second Stage. (20 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: I welcome the Tánaiste to the House and apologise for my absence yesterday for what appears to have been an excellent debate on stem cell research. Senator Morrissey and I were away on transport committee business. All Members are in favour of the establishment of the PIAB. When the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment came to the House to answer a recent Private...

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: Will the Leader ask the Minister for Finance to come into the House to explain why we pay our taxes? She should also ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to be in attendance in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery as he seems to think people who build houses should pay for such things as swimming pools and community services. I understood these are paid for out of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: It is like the Punchestown equestrian centre.

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: That was not the question, I asked why we pay them.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: Will the Leader request the Minister for Finance to urgently come to this House to discuss the decentralisation process? Last year we were assured it would take place this autumn. I now hear rumours, from a very good source, that it is to be deferred until after the next local elections. It is disgraceful that we have been strung along in this manner. It is pathetic that Fianna Fáil and PD...

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: The people in the south-east and taxpayers generally deserve an answer from the Progressive Democrats who are senior members of Government. We need a debate on this matter.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: Is the road going ahead?

Seanad: National Development Plan Mid-Term Evaluation: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: This debate on the ESRI report is premature because we do not yet have the full document. What we have seen so far contains good and bad news on which we should reflect. When we get the complete report we can examine it in greater detail and the Minister of State might return to the House when we have had more time to go through it. The reaction of the Government to the report, however, was...

Seanad: National Development Plan Mid-Term Evaluation: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: There are 1,400 pages.

Seanad: National Development Plan Mid-Term Evaluation: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: That is factually incorrect. The road's location has been decided. It depends on funding. This is disingenuous of the Minister of State.

Seanad: National Development Plan Mid-Term Evaluation: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: What about the capital gains tax on these transactions?

Seanad: National Development Plan Mid-Term Evaluation: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: They must be very wealthy there.

Seanad: National Development Plan Mid-Term Evaluation: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: So the Progressive Democrats are in favour of a motorway.

Seanad: National Development Plan Mid-Term Evaluation: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: We have been waiting six months for the answer.

Seanad: Insurance Industry Reform: Motion. (5 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: I do not believe it is fair to say the Opposition is against the Government on this issue. I believe we are all in favour of it. However, we are concerned about certain aspects of it. That is our job in the Opposition. We are concerned at the perceived slow pace of progress in this area. It is welcome news to hear the Tánaiste intends to publish the Bill early this month. However, there is...

Seanad: Insurance Industry Reform: Motion. (5 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: I second the amendment. Amendment put.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: There is a strike in the postal service across the water and I believe there should be a strike here also except here it should be the consumers who go on strike. In Famine times a letter took one day to go from Dublin to Carlow whereas it can now take four to five days, if not a week. The postal service is in chaos all around the country. The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Nov 2003)

Fergal Browne: I am asking for such a debate. It is ridiculous that 150 years ago it took a day for letters to arrive in Carlow from Dublin and it is now taking four days. Unfortunately this weekend there were a number of fatalities on the roads, many of them involving pedestrians. This may be a sector which is being ignored. I ask the Minister for Transport to come to the House to debate the matter and...

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Oct 2003)

Fergal Browne: Will the Leader invite the Minister for Finance or the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to the House in the next few weeks to discuss the Government's plans to resolve the difficulties caused by last year's decision to scrap the first-time buyer's grant? Senators on this side of the House agree that it was a very bad decision. A debate on the matter could also...