Results 1-20 of 1,451 for speaker:Michael Finucane
- Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill 2007: Second Stage (4 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: I congratulate Deputy Noel Ahern on his appointment as Minister of State. This is an expensive, wasteful and cynical Bill. We have been asked to create three new posts, each of which will cost â¬4 million over the life of the Government. Let me give Members an idea of what could be done with â¬4 million. It would fund 700,000 home help hours or give 23,000 people medical cards. The...
- Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill 2007: Second Stage (4 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: Senator Hanafin should read what I said.
- Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill 2007: Second Stage (4 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: Senator Hanafin has addressed what I said earlier and I am entitled, on a point of order, to respond.
- Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill 2007: Second Stage (4 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: I am perfectly entitled to raise it.
- Seanad: Ethics In Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: I wish the Minister well as regards this legislation. In the five years that I have been in the Seanad I have noticed that he has always treated this Chamber with respect. He has appeared in this House on many occasions. From my experience in the other House over 13 years and the five years I have spent in the Seanad, the standard and level of debate is far superior in this House. I have...
- Seanad: Ethics In Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: Thank you.
- Seanad: Ethics In Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: The Minister has indicated that â¬2,000 will be the new figure. I believe Senator Cox is indicating there will be an element of confusion out there. Taking the recent election as an example, as a defeated candidate I have to present a statement to the Standards in Public Office Commission. If I received any funding in excess of â¬125 I had to produce a bank statement, with the magic...
- Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: Yesterday I acknowledged the contribution of the Cathaoirleach to the Seanad. On this final day of the Seanad before the summer recess I acknowledge the contribution of the Leas-Chathaoirleach over the past five years. I also acknowledge the dedication and commitment of the staff to the people in this House who are delaying their summer holidays until after 22 July. I wish them well in the...
- Seanad: Ethics In Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: This Bill is just not good enough. The Ethics in Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2007 does not achieve all that it could and does not go far enough in making elected officials accountable for gifts and benefits they receive. The Bill does two main things. It increases the threshold for gifts to Ministers and creates a new system for moneys given to Deputies and Senators by friends. Under...
- Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: The Cathaoirleach axed former Senator, James Bannon.
- Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: I am not going forward.
- Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2007)
Michael Finucane: As I understand it, the Cathaoirleach will not be in the House tomorrow and as it will be the final day of the current Seanad I wish to pay tribute to his stewardship during his 30 years as a Member of the Seanad. He has given tremendous service to his country. Like the Cathaoirleach, I am bowing out on this occasion. I wish him well in his retirement. I know he will remain as active as...
- Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2007)
Michael Finucane: He is staying with the same cabal.
- Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2007)
Michael Finucane: I have often raised the issue of electricity costs and the lack of activity when the market was liberalised some years ago. I pointed out that domestic consumers have no option but to pay the enhanced rate while commercial users may enjoy a degree of competition. I welcome the decision to separate the grid from the main service provider in this country to stimulate competition. People...
- Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2007)
Michael Finucane: There will be no complimentary copy of Magill for Senator Leyden this year.
- Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (28 Mar 2007)
Michael Finucane: I recently visited Ballylanders primary school and met the principal and other staff members. There was extreme disappointment that they were unsuccessful in their application for the grant for national schools under the small schools scheme 2007. Ballylanders is a fast-growing community which in recent times has seen a rapid expansion of staff in all three of its local factories. Part of...
- Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (28 Mar 2007)
Michael Finucane: I do not expect the Minister of State to know when the appeal will be heard but can he reassure me that the Department of Education and Science will notify me of a date?
- Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (28 Mar 2007)
Michael Finucane: I trust it will be in touch with me before 15 May or whatever is the date of the general election.
- Seanad: Pharmacy Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2007)
Michael Finucane: Amendments Nos. 1, 9, 29 to 31, inclusive, 38, 44, 45, 61, 62 and 103 are related and may be discussed together. Is that agreed?
- Seanad: Decentralisation Programme. (7 Mar 2007)
Michael Finucane: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, to the House. I have raised the issue of decentralisation and Newcastle West many times since the programme was first announced. I raise the matter in a different context today because the decentralisation project in Newcastle West appears scheduled for some time in 2008. Commitments were given to many staff based...