Results 1,921-1,940 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: We will give the Minister of State a few moments. I call on Senator Dan Boyle.

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: I ask Senator Coffey to second the amendment formally and to reserve his right to speak at a later time.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State has two minutes to speak.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: We are finishing at 5 p.m.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: I agree but that was the Order of Business we agreed.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: I accept that point but it is not a point of order.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: The Senator has made his objection and it has been heard.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: We agreed on the Order of Business this morning to conclude at 5 p.m. I am afraid the Minister of State has only a minute and a half left to speak.

Seanad: Legal Services Ombudsman Bill 2008: Second Stage (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister. When I came into this House 16 years ago, I wondered how I would handle Bills about which I did not know anything, as I was not a lawyer. I decided to look for the customer in each Bill, so I will speak on this Bill from the point of view of the customer. I welcome the provision of an independent legal services ombudsman, and I particularly welcome section 5, which...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: I was impressed by Senator Mary White's comments. I remember the 1980s. I recall being on the board of a hospital which received letters from the Government asking how many new jobs we could create. That is what got us into trouble — creating jobs that did not earn their way. We are facing a crisis and Senator Regan has referred to it. The criticism from the European Union today, which...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: I do not understand that. Then the ESB was forced to put its network out to tender. Who tendered for it but another State agency, Bord Gáis Éireann? It is now competing with the ESB. I do not understand the logic of stating that we want more competition to bring prices down but to encourage more competition we must put prices up, and then instructing the ESB to increase its prices. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: We must find a way to solve this. The other matter relating to prices and costs that really worries me is the report today that the cost of private health care will increase dramatically by 25%. I read in this morning's newspaper that the chief executive officer of the Beacon Medical Group said that our health insurance is too cheap and does not cover the cost of what is being provided. He...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State, and I congratulate him and his officials on the work they have put into this Bill. Anyone who had the opportunity to listen to Eamon Dunphy on the radio last Saturday morning would have heard an interview with a very interesting individual. Dr. Paul Mooney is the president of the National College of Ireland, and he told me a wonderful story of how he adopted...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: We have talked today about fury and rage. The fury and rage I have been hearing about in recent days concerns those who are out on bail and committing crimes. There have been some very serious incidences of this and it jolted me to discover how prevalent it is. I gather there were eight instances last year of murders committed by people out on bail. In total there were some 28,000 crimes...

Seanad: Recapitalisation of Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland: Statements (12 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State but I am not sure I welcome this proposal. I want to be convinced that it will solve the problems facing this nation and the citizens. I tore a page off the calendar yesterday and it said that if we do not take care of the customer, somebody else will. A very important customer in Ireland is the foreign director investor who has lost confidence because of...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: Senator Coghlan referred to the strange silence of the pension and investment communities about the most recent affair and the insider trading which took place last year. The House will debate the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008 today. I am concerned that we are being strangely silent at the time we should be debating the issue at the forefront of all our minds. If we fail to make the...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: Will the Leader ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to indicate to those citizens upon whom we will depend in future not to expect to start at the top? In my experience, graduates too often seek to start jobs at the top and are unwilling to start at the bottom. Let us encourage them to start at the bottom, even by doing voluntary work, where they will not be paid as highly...

Seanad: Child Poverty: Motion (11 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: When is it proposed to sit again?

Seanad: Child Poverty: Motion (11 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: Senator Norris has eight minutes.

Seanad: Child Poverty: Motion (11 Feb 2009)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This is a very sad debate because we have heard so many sad stories. Figures are interesting but they do not touch, to any extent, on the significant poverty there is out there. We recognise that. I have many figures I was going to talk about, but we have had so many figures already I would prefer not to do so. I would like to talk about the...