Results 301-320 of 5,893 for speaker:Frank Feighan

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (27 May 2004)

Frank Feighan: It is cheap and disingenuous for Senator Glynn to attack my party on the issue of the health boards. Members of my party are on the Western Health Board, as are members of the Government parties.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (27 May 2004)

Frank Feighan: I am still talking about section 3. If the Senator was being honest and truthful with himself he would know that the removal of public representatives from the health boards is a backward step. I appreciate that he must articulate the views of the Government, but most of the councillors on the health boards, including the Government councillors, are disgusted and devastated at this retrograde...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (27 May 2004)

Frank Feighan: I highlight to Senator Glynn that representatives of the health boards came to the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party meeting seeking support for their proposal that political representatives should be on the health boards. We gave unqualified support to these people. Perhaps the Senator might ask these questions of some members of his own party who were part of that group. We gave an unqualified...

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: I join my colleagues in calling for a debate on the financial services sector. The morale among the thousands of staff in the banking sector is at an all time low. We should at least highlight the effect these revelations are having on the staff. Three weeks ago the Leader complimented me on praising the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on the way he handled the May Day...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (2 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: There are some positive aspects to this Bill. One aspect we have debated is that of county councillors not serving on health boards. I have stated here many times that is not advantageous to the provision of a proper health care system. Local councillors have had a great input. I am opposed to the Bill on those grounds.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: I agree with my fellow Senators regarding the Travellers illegally parked in Wexford. The situation with coloured diesel can be stopped by implementing the law. However, without the 2,000 extra gardaí in place to ensure that no laws are broken, we will not be able to implement the law. I will be trying to ensure that the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, provides the necessary finance...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: That will become clear. Sunday is 6 June, which is the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings. It is very appropriate that this House remembers the ultimate sacrifice that soldiers from the United States, France, Britain and Ireland made to set us free. Sometimes it worries me that we tend to forget it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: I thank the public for turning out in such numbers at the local and European elections. I have certainly noticed a mood change among the electorate in that it treats the representatives and the candidates with such respect and courtesy.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: This has certainly changed over many years. I, too, call for a debate on the register of electors. It is a mess and we need to find some formula that will ensure that those who are entitled to vote can vote and that those who are not do not have a vote.

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: I ask the Minister for Health and Children to come to the House to explain his position on the recent proposed increase of 3.8% in charges by the VHI. This comes on the back of increases of 8.5% and 18% in the past two years. The VHI made a profit of €34 million up to the end of February 2003 and I regard it as a little rich of the company to look for a further increase. This will be an...

Seanad: Genetically Modified Foods: Motion. (23 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and I agree with him that we need to take a calm and reasonable approach to this issue. I am satisfied with the line taken by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, which is an independent scientific consumer protection body. It does not give blanket approval to GM foods but assesses individual foods and carries out checks to ensure...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: I join with colleagues in welcoming the transfer of authority to the new interim Iraqi Government. We have often criticised the United States on its excesses and abuses but should today look towards a brighter future for Iraq. I agree with Senator Ross and most others that the interview with President Bush was carried out in a courteous and professional manner. However, I query that a...

Seanad: Post Leaving Certificate Programme. (29 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: I wish to highlight the need for the Minister for Education and Science to outline the reasons for cutbacks in the post leaving certificate, PLC, sector and the extent to which there was prior consultation with the partners. I raise this issue because the service from the post leaving certificate sector, particularly for the disadvantaged, was tremendous. There is a need for people to upskill...

Seanad: Hospital Services: Motion. (30 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: We will go back to the time of Sackville Street.

Seanad: Hospital Services: Motion. (30 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: I support the motion that Seanad Éireann, alarmed at the growing crisis in accident and emergency services throughout the State, has noted that, by the admission of the Minister for Health and Children, over €400 million worth of new hospital facilities are lying idle. It is a good place to start. Senator Glynn has done hospital patients and carers an enormous disservice by highlighting...

Seanad: Hospital Services: Motion. (30 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: He rightly stated that the Government has increased funding by 188% since 1997. However, the service has become progressively worse. That is not my comment but that of those in the hospitals. If the health services were a private business or company, the chief executive officer would be sacked and questions asked.

Seanad: Hospital Services: Motion. (30 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: The health services are a mess and getting worse. Mr. Paul Byrne from Tallaght, after a visit to hospital during which his trolley was taken for another patient while he went to the toilet, stated: "The next time I go to A& E, I would rather not be breathing."

Seanad: Hospital Services: Motion. (30 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: It is a serious indictment of the health services. On 22 June last, 150 patients were on trolleys in ERHA hospitals. On 26 April, 160 were on trolleys in Dublin hospitals while on 26 February, the figure was 150. On 5 February, St. James's Hospital Dublin had to invoke a major incident plan due to overcrowding in accident and emergency. On 3 February, 207 patients were waiting on trolleys in...

Seanad: Hospital Services: Motion. (30 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: I apologise. More worrying for those waiting on trolleys is that while June is supposed to be a quiet time for accident and emergency, the numbers are not much better than during the winter months. This indicates that the situation is at crisis point. Despite bumper spending of €10.8 billion on the health budget, funding is not getting through on the ground. Similar problems have been...

Seanad: Hospital Services: Motion. (30 Jun 2004)

Frank Feighan: The Minister promised 709 beds but they have not been allocated. Those beds were supposed to be the first phase of an additional 3,000 acute hospital beds, which were promised on the health strategy by 2011. However, given the pace and failure to deliver on the first phase, questions arise as to whether the Government will be able to deliver urgently on any of the additional 3,000 beds. It is...