Results 21-40 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jan 2016)

Feargal Quinn: I agree with everyone else who has wished us all a very successful new year. Obviously, it will be shorter than in previous times. I am impressed by some figures that have been given to me for visa length and tourist numbers. I grew up in the tourist business and believe we have not done enough to encourage tourism. Ireland is losing potentially hundreds of thousands of tourists compared...

Seanad: Innovation 2020: Statements (13 Jan 2016)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State. We had the experience of working together when he was Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. I thank the Leader for finding time for this debate. In discussing Innovation 2020 I welcome the Government's investment in this area. It is vital we make that investment to ensure we remain competitive. I cannot fail to...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I join all the other Senators in wishing everybody a happy Christmas and a very successful 2016. While we will sit tomorrow, we will not have another Order of Business. It is interesting to see the change in the direction of traffic to Northern Ireland. Some eight years ago, streams of cars were going to Newry from the South to buy as a result of the exchange rate. Now, it is the...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I wish to ask the Leader whether anything is being done about the jihadists who are returning to Ireland after going to the Middle East to fight for ISIS. I believe there is a need to ensure there is a massive disincentive for those who live in Ireland to go abroad to fight and then take an Aer Lingus aeroplane back to Ireland. I read recently that a number of people in Cork were refused,...

Seanad: Finance (Tax Appeals) Bill 2015: Second Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I welcome the Bill and I hope it means that customers, that is, citizens, will benefit from a more transparent and efficient tax system. However, there are a few issues, one of which was raised by Senator O'Brien. The removal of the right to appeal to the Circuit Court is one of the more contentious parts of the legislation. For instance,...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: It is not easy to get in, but Senator Zappone spoke from the heart when referring to a crisis about which we must do something. Ibrahim has been in that jail for 800 days and there is no sign of a fair trial. The crisis that Senator Mooney mentioned was that of the Shannon and the floods. After last weekend, we know that no single body is responsible for the Shannon. A Shannon river basin...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral Reform Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister of State. The Bill before us is especially welcome. While it is not the only proposal on how to reform the Seanad, it is a concrete one. I cannot get over the failure to do anything on foot of the 1979 referendum.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral Reform Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: Senator Crown explained the Bill. On the day he and I were elected, Senator Crown announced he would not stand again unless the voting system for the Seanad was reformed. The Senator has proposed this Bill to reform the House. It is exactly the type of legislation the Government should accept as it would make a statement that it intends to do something about Seanad reform. Nothing has...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I second the recommendation.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome the Minister. The concern I had about this was the reference to seven years. The Minister of State, Deputy Simon Harris, explained to the best of his ability why we were controlled in that area. It still causes upset and I would like to think the Minister would give this further consideration in the coming year.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is welcome. I have a feeling I am biased in regard to this particular amendment, as I had my 79th birthday last week and was rather pleased with it.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: However, I have not been forced to retire. I acknowledge I am under threat of divorce unless I retire shortly and so I will be retiring. However, during the week I spoke about a man to whom I had spoken on Tuesday, which was his 99th birthday, namely, Dr. T. K. Whitaker, a famous former Member of this House for two terms. He also was Chairman of the Central Bank and Secretary General of...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: Yesterday, the Leader said that instead of putting people in jail for not paying their fines, we should deduct the fine from their salary or social welfare payment. I remember this being proposed many years ago but I am not sure what happened to the proposal. Is it possible that we have not moved on it or is there a constitutional reason for not doing so? It appears there are people in...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I have just come from the launch of the document on low pay, decent work and the living wage produced by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Innovation and Enterprise. We should find time to debate this document as it is quite a balanced report. Our colleague, Senator Cullinane, was the rapporteur for it and balanced it very well. One of the concerns is that in attempting to bring the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: We discussed this issue on Second Stage. I do not quite understand it because if the Government is aiming to encourage people to invest, it should also aim to maintain investments, but this does not apply to anything older than seven years.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I thank the Minister of State for the explanation. I agree entirely with Senator O'Brien. We do not want to jeopardise the scheme because it is worthwhile but we would like to investigate the history behind this and I appreciate the offer he has made.

Seanad: Gradam an Uachtaráin Bill 2015: Second Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. I am pleased he is here to take this Bill because this is an issue I feel strongly about. I was with Dr. T.K. Whitaker yesterday. He was 99 years old yesterday. I was congratulating him on that occasion and it dawned on me that he is the sort of man who has served this country well and the sort of person we should have been able to...

Seanad: Gradam an Uachtaráin Bill 2015: Second Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: That is a great idea.

Seanad: Gradam an Uachtaráin Bill 2015: Second Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I appreciate the Minister of State's remarks and welcome that the Government is not opposing this Bill. I was anxious that we would have a good Second Stage debate on the Bill and that has been the case. I welcome that there is all-party support for the Bill. I am confident that this is the right direction to go and I am pleased with Senators' contributions on the Bill. I believe in...

Seanad: Gradam an Uachtaráin Bill 2015: Second Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: Next Tuesday.