Results 1-20 of 212 for speaker:Kieran Phelan

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Fiche ar an mBunreacht, 2002: An Dara Céim (Atógáil). Twenty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2002: Second Stage (Resumed). (13 Sep 2002)

Kieran Phelan: I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his appointment and wish him well. I have no doubt he will do an excellent job. I also congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment. As a new Senator, it is a great privilege to speak in the House. There has never been a more important time. Throughout its history, this great country has negotiated a number of important crossroads. The forthcoming...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (Resumed). (13 Nov 2002)

Kieran Phelan: I thank the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism for coming into the House this morning and I thank also the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ahern. I welcome this debate on tourism, the importance of which to this country should never be underestimated. It is not always given the weight it deserves but there are strong facts to justify the Government's putting such a strong emphasis on...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Insurance Costs. (13 Nov 2002)

Kieran Phelan: I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House tonight. Insurance is a huge problem in the tourism industry. It is not an optional extra for those who run the industry because they cannot operate without it. While it goes without saying insurance costs are not the only reason for a relative lack of competition, it seems clear that the price of premia is a significant factor. All...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (27 Nov 2002)

Kieran Phelan: I welcome the Minister to the House to take this important legislation, the main purpose of which is to provide a statutory basis for the new National Tourism Development Authority. Upon its establishment, Bord Fáilte and CERT will be dissolved and their functions transferred to the new body. This will mean that one body will be responsible for the promotion of training, human resource and...

Seanad: Development of Rugby: Motion. (29 Jan 2003)

Kieran Phelan: I support the motion tabled by the Fine Gael group. Rugby in this country has come on by leaps and bounds in recent years. We have progressed from a stage where we were becoming the whipping boys of the Five Nations Championship, as it was then, to being more than able to hold our own against the French and English and even beating the current world champions, Australia, only a few months...

Seanad: Development of Rugby: Motion. (29 Jan 2003)

Kieran Phelan: This is not the first example of such excessive spending by the IRFU. It appears such a block booking is normal for the association whenever the national side plays abroad. Another point which suggests possible discrimination against Connacht is the fact that none of the other provinces has been asked to make a presentation on cost cutting. Surely each of the other provinces would be able to...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill 2002 [ Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil ] : Report and Final Stages. (3 Apr 2003)

Kieran Phelan: I welcome the amendments and compliment the Minister. As always, he has been open to constructive ideas and suggestions on proposed amendments. The amendments made by the Dáil are proof of the Minister's determination to ensure this important legislation will launch the National Tourism Development Authority and place it on a sound footing. Given current circumstances, it is important the...

Seanad: Government Policy and the Provision of Services for the Elderly: Statements. (15 Apr 2003)

Kieran Phelan: I welcome the Minister of State and compliment him on his speech and the excellent work he is doing in this area in such a short space of time. A number of ancient cultures held their elderly in great esteem. In times of difficulty it was the elderly of various communities who were asked to guide their people through. During the years the position of respect that the elderly occupied has been...

Seanad: Government Policy and the Provision of Services for the Elderly: Statements. (15 Apr 2003)

Kieran Phelan: I am sorry.

Seanad: Strategic Rail Review Report: Statements (Resumed). (21 May 2003)

Kieran Phelan: I welcome the Minister and the Minister of State to the House and congratulate them and the Department of Transport on the tremendous work they have done in the past year. The need for a dedicated transport Department has been vindicated by the tremendous strides they have taken on transport policy. I welcome the main thrust of the strategic rail review, particularly with regard to its...

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (21 May 2003)

Kieran Phelan: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for joining us to discuss this vital issue. Decentralisation has many advantages. By relocating various Government bodies and Departments away from Dublin we will be easing pressure on the capital and its infrastructure, as well as easing the pressure on the housing market in the city and reducing its traffic levels. With the vast...

Seanad: Waste Management: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Kieran Phelan: I wish to share time with Senator Brennan.

Seanad: Waste Management: Statements. (5 Nov 2003)

Kieran Phelan: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy McDaid, to the House. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, and his Department have played a major role in setting in motion a number of steps to deal with the waste management problem, which we have ignored for too long. As a nation, we simply do not seem to care what we do with...

Seanad: Report of Tourism Policy Review Group: Statements. (19 Nov 2003)

Kieran Phelan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Aylward, who has done a great deal for agri-tourism in the midlands.

Seanad: Proposed Stadium at Lansdowne Road: Statements. (5 Feb 2004)

Kieran Phelan: I welcome the Minister to the Seanad and congratulate him and the Taoiseach on all the effort they have put into making this development a reality. As the Minister said, this will be a fantastic development, a stadium of which the country can rightly be proud. The development will comprise a state-of-the-art bowl-shaped all-seater stadium with a capacity for 50,000. It will consist of two...

Seanad: Proposed Stadium at Lansdowne Road: Statements. (5 Feb 2004)

Kieran Phelan: Surely that is a positive step. Would those who criticise the Government on this matter rather it had not taken such a considered approach?

Seanad: Proposed Stadium at Lansdowne Road: Statements. (5 Feb 2004)

Kieran Phelan: I am sure they would be complaining that we did not think through the decision in those circumstances. It is true that the Taoiseach is on record as stating he would like to build a national stadium at Abbotstown. This project was christened with the rather unfortunate title of the "Bertie bowl". The name aside, what was so wrong with it? What aspect of it so galled the Opposition?

Seanad: Proposed Stadium at Lansdowne Road: Statements. (5 Feb 2004)

Kieran Phelan: It would have been a fantastic development, even larger and more adaptable than the current proposal. It would have been one of the most fantastic venues in Europe and would have provided the kind of capacity to allow supply to meet demand for tickets for big events. I have thought long and hard about why some members of the Opposition were so stringently against that project and I can come...

Seanad: Proposed Stadium at Lansdowne Road: Statements. (5 Feb 2004)

Kieran Phelan: Had the project not been nicknamed the "Bertie bowl", I doubt the criticism it received would have been quite so acidic.

Seanad: Proposed Stadium at Lansdowne Road: Statements. (5 Feb 2004)

Kieran Phelan: In giving it that nickname, the Opposition was giving the Taoiseach credit for the project and every time the issue was discussed in public, the Taoiseach was being discussed with it. That is not the kind of publicity one would want for the Taoiseach.