Results 161-180 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Private Business. - The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Charters Amendment) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Bill and the manner in which it has been introduced. During my travels around the world, especially in Asia, I have found that in the case of practically nine out of every ten people whom I met and who were well informed about Ireland, it was due to their having attended the Royal College of Surgeons, which has enormous respect. I support anything that will enhance its value,...

Seanad: Private Business. - The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Charters Amendment) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: We may have to introduce a Private Bill in the Oireachtas very soon in that regard. I wish to touch on some aspects of the Bill, without getting into detail. I have the highest regard for the effort which has been made to ensure that the governance of the college is protected. I commend the work that has gone into making sure that the anomaly of distinguishing between members and fellows is...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State has revealed a fascinating piece of information – I had no idea we were talking about this amount of money. We do not know how much money is involved but 500,000 policies of less than €500 in value gives us some idea of the challenge facing us. I accept the Minister of State's view on the prohibitive costs of writing to 500,000 people about what could be €20 or...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 4a: In page 12, subsection (1), line 46, after "State" to insert ", also by electronic means".

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: The turn of the previous century.

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: We are not talking about e-mail.

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Minister for his kind words. I have tabled similar amendments on a number of occasions and they were generally accepted because it had been omitted in the first place. I think the Minister may be mistaking section 8 for section 9. Section 8 deals with the notification of the customers – the Minister referred to e-mail. Clearly I did not table an amendment to that section because...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: If I thought the Minister was prepared to accept Senator McDowell's suggestion to debate the matter with the Minister overnight, I would consider withdrawing the amendment. I want to know if he intends to maintain his position that the section, as framed, is a fait accompli. The proposal is so rational and sensible that I have difficulty comprehending his insistence on rejecting it. I am sure...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: Now we are getting somewhere.

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I promise I will conclude soon. I disagree with almost everything the Minister of State has said. We are passing legislation for the future, not just a few years. I hope most legislation passed by the Houses will endure for decades and there will be no need to return to it. As I stated, the Minister of State's position is akin to someone in the 16th century expressing doubt that the printing...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I want the website to feature exactly what is described in the amendment, namely, that where an unclaimed policy is held at an insurance undertaking, the undertaking in question "shall publish or cause to have published a notice in 2 or more daily newspapers circulating in the State and in Iris Oifigiúil". I want to ensure that the notice to be published at certain intervals is also...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: There is a misunderstanding. The notice, in whatever form, will appear in two newspapers. I am saying it should also appear on the website of the individual insurance undertakings. Every insurance undertaking has a website. It would cost nothing to add this information. We do not know what it is but a few extra lines could appear on the website at no extra cost, and it would be the same as...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: It will be on the Government websites but not on the insurance companies' websites.

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: I will conclude with this point. Why are we going to the trouble of passing legislation which states this information must be placed in two newspapers circulating in the State? The reason we are doing so is to inform people of the scheme. We are simply saying the information should also be included in the website of each of the undertakings. I cannot believe the Department of Finance wants to...

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: It is always a joy to listen to Senator Dardis. He uses the words "realism" and "opportunity", words I like. They are much better than "Seanad Éireann congratulates" or "Seanad Éireann condemns". I will repeat myself inasmuch as I will make points that the Minister has heard previously because I want to speak out against, what I call, "the ostrich tendency", the tendency to bury our...

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: Since 1996 meat and bonemeal have been quite rightly banned from animal feed which has to be rendered instead. The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Walsh, has informed the beef industry that the subsidy paid to enable such material to be sent to Germany – there is no market for it here – will no longer apply from 1 March. This announcement has caused a great deal of concern in...

Seanad: Finance and Related Matters: Statements. (18 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: The Senator finished on a high note.

Seanad: Finance and Related Matters: Statements. (18 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State's contribution was extremely interesting. Earlier, Senator O'Toole asked us to speak from personal experience and I intend to do that. I was delighted to hear so many speakers doing so today. Senator White spoke from personal experience and the knowledge gained by running her own business, about the effect on exports of our currency's strength compared to sterling. That...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: Senator Ryan stated that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was concerned about the recent national agreement. The society has also expressed deep concern about disadvantage in education. I ask the Leader to find out from the Minister which body is responsible for school attendance. When the House passed a Bill addressing the issue of truancy just over a year ago, Members assumed that by...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (26 Feb 2003)

Feargal Quinn: My position on this issue is rather similar to that of Senator Bradford. When I first heard of this equalisation scheme, I regarded it as pure protectionism, aimed at stifling competition. On first reading the Minister's speech with regard to the draft risk equalisation scheme, I misread "draft" as "daft" and was overjoyed that the Minister was on our side. In fact, I have changed my mind. I...