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

Seanad: Order of Business (5 May 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I congratulate the Leader on arranging today's debate on Seanad reform. I must admit that I had some doubts as to whether it would happen because it takes so long for things to happen. The Leader has moved on it, however, and I am delighted to see that former Senators, Dr. Maurice Manning and Mr. Joe O'Toole, will be here today for that debate. Nevertheless, I want to ensure that something...

Seanad: Report of the Working Group on Seanad Reform 2015: Statements (5 May 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I warmly welcome my former colleagues, whom I still call "Senators" as in the American system, where a president is president for life. This report is welcome as well. Seanad reform is something we have discussed on multiple occasions in the past 18 months and the House knows I have expressed my strong views on the matter. Senator Zappone and I put forward a Bill on the subject, a very...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I attended a very interesting meeting in Drogheda on Monday to do with urban renewal. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation put forward a 14-point plan for urban renewal. Much can be done, particularly for the main streets of our small towns. The plan included a huge range of topics and would be worthy of discussion in this House as everybody here would have a...

Seanad: Ash Dieback Disease: Statements (29 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: The Minister of State is very welcome. He played a very active role in this House over some years a number of years ago. I am delighted to see he is now responsible for this area. He has given us some interesting information today. He mentioned that approximately "693 ha of infected and associated ash plantations have been cleared and replanted with alternative species". He told us that...

Seanad: Ash Dieback Disease: Statements (29 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I am sorry.

Seanad: Ash Dieback Disease: Statements (29 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: Is there a noise somewhere? Perhaps I am not speaking loudly enough.

Seanad: Ash Dieback Disease: Statements (29 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I will get closer to the microphone. Could we give grants to community groups to plant alternative trees? I realise that Coillte is overseeing this area. If grant assistance were available, it might get local communities more interested in the problem and raise awareness of the issue even further. This is an opportunity to consider an environmental issue. I mentioned the Brent goose when...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Business of Joint Committee
The Creative Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: The presentations were most interesting and I enjoyed them. I know something about the chq building and Neville Isdell. Is there a possibility or a need to do more of what is happening in the chq building? Is there sufficient opportunity to do so? Dogpatch is just one example. Ms O'Rourke mentioned the arrangement she has made across the Border. Nobody else seems to be working across...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: One of the most important areas of business opportunities is tourism. Senator Mooney regularly reminds us of that, but every time we look for changes to encourage tourism, there always seems to be someone saying that those changes do not suit.The recent effort in Dún Laoghaire to erect a cruise ship berth is being criticised by the local yacht clubs because it will interfere with them....

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I agree with Senator Mullins when he speaks about bank charges, but I am not sure that this House should get involved in banking issues in any form. Credit unions can tackle the issue very well. Competition will be able to solve the problem and it sounds like this is happening. I would like to see time provided to debate the environment. I was reminded of this when the recent EU report...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: The Creative Economy: Discussion (21 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: The delegates are very welcome and it has been most interesting to listen to them. Some years ago I was invited to become an adjunct professor of management in NUIG. At the time I asked what the word “adjunct” meant and was told it meant one was not paid. I found it a very interesting and exciting task because the then president of the college said it was concerned about the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: The Creative Economy: Discussion (21 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I extend congratulations to all of the delegations. It seems there is a great deal going on about which we did not really know enough. I would love to hear more about the attendance at events during Milan Design Week. Why is it no one got there during the past 50 years? If the recent attendance was such a success, we should be doing more of this. Who are the design sector’s...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: Last week, one of the principal surgeons in the transplant unit at Beaumont Hospital resigned. This man, who is well known and highly respected and regarded, has given no explanation for his resignation from this important position. Apparently, there is confusion as to the reason he resigned. If there is a problem in this regard it should be followed up, given the importance of the organ...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: A couple of weeks ago, I asked what was happening with Seanad reform. The Leader told me the report would be published this week, which it was. It is time for us to have a debate on this because those of us who took an active part in arguing against the abolition of the Seanad made a number of proposals, many of which are being included in the proposals of the Government or, at least, those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission: Chairperson Designate (14 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: I welcome Dr. de Buitléir. This is a very interesting debate. I am puzzled as to how one arrives at a balance between the existence of a job and low pay. It seems to me that there are some jobs that would not exist at a certain rate of pay. A balance has to be found. When I started in business, all of the shops had counter service and employed many people. Then these nasty...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission: Chairperson Designate (14 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: We need to consider the balance between changes in the way the work is done and the availability of jobs. There will always be an objection to those who say change will damage the opportunity of finding work. The introduction of barcodes and scanning in the 1970s led to major objections on the grounds that there would be job losses because one would no longer need to employ people to stick...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission: Chairperson Designate (14 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: That is as good an answer as one can get.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Community Partnership Mobilisation Programme: ConnectIreland (14 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: What an interesting story. About 15 years ago I was made an ambassador by Bord Fáilte because I had brought a few different large conferences to Ireland. I thought that concept was great. That was Bord Fáilte. Now it is a 32-county body. Is ConnectIreland a 32-county body or a 26-county body? I heard Ms Murphy mention "throughout Ireland" on a number of occasions but I did not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Community Partnership Mobilisation Programme: ConnectIreland (14 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: What are the obstacles? What is the hurdle ConnectIreland is coming to, the Becher's Brook that it is really concerned about? Can something be done about these obstacles?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Community Partnership Mobilisation Programme: ConnectIreland (14 Apr 2015)

Feargal Quinn: ConnectIreland has had some great success. What is next?