Results 221-240 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne
- Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2007)
Fergal Browne: Has that amount been taken into account? If, for example, a person in receipt of a State pension did some work during the week, he or she might have almost â¬300 per week between the pension and the extra income. Such a person would then be outside the subvention rate if the person were in a nursing home because the income would breach the â¬10,400 limit. This figure should be increased...
- Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2007)
Fergal Browne: I wish to ask the Minister of State to reply on the â¬16,000 figure. Is it the case that people who receive the State pension and earn a few euro extra per week, as they are allowed to and are encouraged by the State to do, will find themselves outside the loop? That is a serious mistake if it is the case.
- Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2007)
Fergal Browne: I am still confused. A pensioner may earn â¬100 per week along with their State pension, which is allowed, leaving a total sum of approximately â¬15,000 per year. We are discussing an amendment stipulating that a person cannot have an income of more than â¬10,400, but the income of some pensioners will be above this. The State will on one hand indicate that such people can work away,...
- Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2007)
Fergal Browne: My understanding is pensioners can earn â¬100 but perhaps I am wrong.
- Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2007)
Fergal Browne: I move amendment No. 15: In page 10, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following: "(6) (a) A person applying for a subvention, or a person acting on his or her behalf, may appeal, to an appeals officer designated by the Minister, on the grounds ofâ (i) his or her means and circumstances, or (ii) any abatement of the proposed rate of subvention to that person from the maximum rate...
- Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2007)
Fergal Browne: I move amendment No. 19: In page 12, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: "(5) (a) A person who is in receipt of a subvention and who is deemed by the Executive under subsection (2) either to be no longer qualified for the payment of a relevant subvention, or qualifies for the payment of a different relevant subvention than that currently being paid to the person, or a person...
- Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2007)
Fergal Browne: I had no difficulty with taking Report Stage today, but I am unhappy with the explanation I received about the figure of â¬10,400. Is it possible for us to adjourn for 30 minutes to seek clarification on that point and return? I am not sure what is the view of the House on this.
- Seanad: Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (1 Feb 2007)
Fergal Browne: Can we reconvene in 30 minutes to get clarification on the points raised by Senator Ryan and I? We could then proceed to Report Stage.
- Seanad: National Lottery Funding (1 Feb 2007)
Fergal Browne: As the Minister of State is aware, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism has the joyful task of making many sports clubs happy in allocating national lottery funding in the next few weeks. New Oak Boys Soccer Club in Carlow is one club that has made an application. This club is in a unique situation because it has the club house and pitches but requires fencing in order to be fully...
- Seanad: Inland Fisheries (31 Jan 2007)
Fergal Browne: I will meet the deputation and have a discussion.
- Seanad: Schools Building Projects (31 Jan 2007)
Fergal Browne: I thank the Senators for raising the issue as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and the position regarding the development of education provision in St. Catherine's national school, Aughrim. I apologise for the absence of the Minister, Deputy Hanafin. Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Jan 2007)
Fergal Browne: Tell that to the Taoiseach.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Jan 2007)
Fergal Browne: There are mixed signals. The Leader should tell this to the Taoiseach.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Jan 2007)
Fergal Browne: The Taoiseach is confused.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Jan 2007)
Fergal Browne: I join with Senator Brian Hayes in calling for a debate on health. We should focus on filling vacancies. Clearly, patients are not the centre of attention when it comes to staff on sick leave, retiring or on extended maternity leave. There seems to be no regard for patients within the HSE. I came across two cases recently arising from the fact that the orthodontist in Carlow-Kilkenny was...
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Second Stage (14 Dec 2006)
Fergal Browne: I know the Senator did not start it, but I will not blame anyone. It is time we moved on. We should always encourage responsible fiscal management of the country and budget surpluses. To throw money at people and go into debt is not the way forward. It happened between 1977 and 1979 and it bankrupted the country. Senator Brady agrees with me but I will not engage in that debate today. ...
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Second Stage (14 Dec 2006)
Fergal Browne: I welcome the Minister and his officials to the House. I have a point to make in respect of the debate between Senators Mansergh and McCarthy about the budgets. In 1997, we had a budget surplus. If we did not, we would have been accused of being economically irresponsible. I was either a teenager or in my early 20s when Proinsias de Rossa was appointed Minister for Social Welfare, but...
- Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2006)
Fergal Browne: I call on the Leader to invite the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to the House in the new year to discuss a review of the gun amnesty which was a complete and absolute failure. We have seen the results of it this week in numerous shootings.
- Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2006)
Fergal Browne: Sorry.
- Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2006)
Fergal Browne: In fairness, Senator Jim Walsh cannot afford to be smug on this issue. I draw his attention to the fact that a similar scheme in Sweden resulted in 17,000 guns being handed up while we got only 300, most of which were relics. Numerous shootings occurred this week and whatever about the high level of crime, if criminals have guns, fatalities will occur. This has been proven recently, both...