Results 1-20 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: European Union (Scrutiny) Bill, 2001 changed from European Union Bill, 2001: Second Stage. (16 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Roche. I have just come back from abroad. It is interesting that at the food industry meetings I attended in the past, people enthusiastically turned to me across the table impressed that I was from Ireland, "that smashing country that is doing so well". This time those same people turned to ask what is going to happen on Saturday. These were not just...

Seanad: European Union (Scrutiny) Bill, 2001 changed from European Union Bill, 2001: Second Stage. (16 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I have not heard the term before, but can understand it. In this case, the Government and the officials are singing from the same hymn book and the song is called, Hands off the EU. Scrutiny is skirted around in the Bill by the use of qualifications such as "as far as practicable," by reservations about matters deemed to be confidential and by a refusal to include the notion of a negotiating...

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: Over the past few months a number of State reports have been published and there is a danger that some State bodies publish reports during the time when the Oireachtas is not in session so that they do not get the requisite attention. Over the years, I have asked for almost all State body reports to be published within a short period after the end of their financial year. There is a danger...

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (17 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister and I am pleased to note it is his first visit to the new Seanad. I hope we will see more of him. I am a little concerned that, as Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, he has been given a very wide brief, but in view of his experience I am pleased he has been appointed to this Department. I speak on this topic with some experience of...

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (17 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I do not think it will.

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (17 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: As an opponent of the Abbotstown fiasco, I am happy to laud this project and wish it well. It is very risky and may not turn out to be a success, but that is no different from what happened in 1987 when Dermot Desmond approached the then Taoiseach, Mr. Haughey, with his concept of a financial services centre. The Taoiseach and the Government took it on board and it became a great success. At...

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: Will the Leader consider holding a debate on the equality legislation that has been passed in recent years? At the time we passed the legislation we believed it to have been in good order. However, a number of issues have cropped up since then. One that comes to mind is the finding of a judge that pubs are no longer allowed to debar children at any hour of the day. It appears that the...

Seanad: Northern Ireland: Statements. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I wish to share my time with Senator Ross.

Seanad: Northern Ireland: Statements. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I am a member of the board of the Food Marketing Institute in the United States and, immediately after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, was asked to explain to my colleagues in Chicago what it was all about. I found it comparatively easy to explain in 1998. Last Tuesday, however, I was in New York at a similar meeting where I was asked to explain the third suspension of the Northern...

Seanad: Business of Seanad. - Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 6: In page 8, subsection (4), between lines 39 and 40, to insert the following new subparagraph: "(a)publish the draft development plan by electronic means;".

Seanad: Business of Seanad. - Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I appreciate the Minister's reply to my comments. I was trying to influence the drafting of future legislation. I do not doubt, as the Minister says, that "publication" will be interpreted as including Internet publication in the context of this Bill, particularly as it deals with the digital hub. I can inform him, however, that a number of Departments have refused to accept such an...

Seanad: Business of Seanad. - Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I do not wish to take them all together.

Seanad: Business of Seanad. - Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 8: In page 9, subsection (1), line 30, to delete "6 months" and substitute "3 months". This amendment seeks to speed up the process of drawing up strategic plans. Section 10 is written as if the new body is coming out of the blue and the period of six months to draw up such plans would be reasonable if this were the case. It is not as if the Digital Hub Development Agency...

Seanad: Business of Seanad. - Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: Amendment No. 11 is aimed at speeding up the process. Are we discussing that amendment at the moment?

Seanad: Business of Seanad. - Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I understand the Minister's reluctance to accept my amendment, which merely tries to remind him of the need for alacrity in relation to this matter. He has indicated that he intends to move speedily and I am sure the gesture I made will serve as nothing more than a reminder. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Government amendment No. 9: In page 9, subsection (1), lines 32 and 33, to delete...

Seanad: Business of Seanad. - Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 11: In page 9, subsection (3), line 38, to delete "as soon as practicable" and substitute "as soon as may be". Amendment agreed to. Government amendment No. 12: In page 9, subsection (3), line 40, to delete "approved" and substitute "presented to him or her". Amendment agreed to. Amendment No. 13 not moved. Section 10, as amended, agreed to. Section 11 agreed to....

Seanad: Business of Seanad. - Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 16: In page 11, subsection (1), line 10, to delete "14 members" and substitute "12 members". This is an issue of corporate governance. Most State bodies are too big to be effective because the size of the board reflects the political need to appoint people to it rather than a desire to get the job done. I was chairman of the board of An Post and to make sure unions were...

Seanad: Business of Seanad. - Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I support Senator Ryan. If this had happened 20 or 30 years ago, Senator Ryan would not have tabled such an amendment. History has shown some bad examples of appointees to boards which were not valid. I understand the reason Senator Ryan tabled the amendment. I am sure he would like to include it in almost every State board. There are too many stories and examples of political appointments....

Seanad: Business of Seanad. - Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I support Senator Ryan. It was not Senator Ryan's intention to suggest that an explanation is required for the board the Minister is appointing. However, this organisation will last for a long time. There will be other Ministers and appointees. Senator Ryan is attempting to ensure that in future an explanation will be given for appointments to avoid some of the problems we had in the past...

Seanad: Business of Seanad. - Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (23 Oct 2002)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 18: In page 12, after line 41, to insert the following new subsection: "(6) The chairperson of the Agency shall not exercise the functions of the chief executive, except in exceptional circumstances on a temporary basis which shall not exceed a period of 3 months.". The amendment refers to an important issue relating to corporate governance. It is now accepted in...