Results 2,181-2,200 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: Irish Water seems to be an organisation that brings 250,000 people onto the streets at regular intervals. This House and the Comptroller and Auditor General, a constitutional officer, should be looking at it. This House is protected by the Constitution. We know that the Government tried to get rid of it, but the people decided otherwise. That is why the Comptroller and Auditor General is...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: Yes.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: Or any other day either.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister. Section 7(2) states there will be a forum of at least 12 and not more than 60 members. As this is the Government that tried to abolish this House of 60 Members, I welcome the Minister on the road to Damascus. He will recall all of the reasons the Government and, in particular, his Department - the lead Department in this instance - gave in favour of abolishing this...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: The Minister did not want the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to be involved. He did not want street democracy; he thought people were going for a walk around town. This is the eleventh attempt by him to find people who might agree with him to sit on the forum. I am against the forum and the section, but if we have to have a forum, the one proposed by Sinn Féin would be...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: There are many problems with this conservation measure. First, it is not related to conservation. The memorandum states that people get €100 per household which people "can use to assist with water conservation in their homes". They could use it to buy watering cans, garden sprinklers or to buy €100 worth of Ballygowan water. I am unsure what it is supposed to be conserving....

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome what the Minister has said about the need to deal in a fair and kindly way, as best we can in these constrained circumstances, with those who cannot pay. This is a poll tax of €260 on a couple and €160 on a single person for what was previously financed by progressive taxation. We have changed the basis for financing the water business, and that presents serious...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: Last week, the Nevin Institute showed that living standards have decreased by 20% during this recession. It is worse for those on low incomes, who have taken a bigger fall. In dealing with other Ministers, I have come across a school of the new right in the Department of Finance. They say that what is wrong with the Irish tax system is that so many people are exempt. I had discussions with...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: Let us go after the vets and people like that. I hope the Minister, MABS and community welfare staff will help deal with this. It is a new trend in taxation that will cause poverty, although I know this Minister is committed to tackling it. He will certainly have my support in that regard.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: Is it a good jacket?

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Kelly, back to the House. I am impressed by the Minister and the Minister of State's attempt to try to introduce some humanity into this. We all appreciate the dreadful situation they inherited. This concerns late payment charges of €30 and €60. Earlier, we discussed the imposition of these charges on people with very low incomes. In respect...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister of State and I appreciate his commitment in this regard. He and the Minister, Deputy Kelly, probably got to this issue too late as the bandwagon was up and running. I admire what the Minister of State has tried to do and I have complimented the Minister as well in this regard. I objected to this section, which outlines that one person will pay €160, two or more...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: I am asking this House to do it. I suspect this section will be approved, so it will be a sad evening. This reminds me of when I was leaving Canada and I went to see one of my supervisors. He asked if he could give some advice for my career and I was delighted. He told me never to give in, as every time I gave in, a piece of him died. Tonight, a bit of the Labour and Fine Gael parties...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: I oppose section 3 as strongly as possible because I believe the fact that this House might endorse its contents represents a retrograde and regressive step in Irish public life. This is a poll tax of Thatcherite proportions. I never thought the Labour Party of Noel Browne or the Fine Gael Party of the just society would descend to such levels.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: I want to repeat what is involved in this. Section 3(2)(a) sets out a water charge of €160 for one adult and section 3(2)(b) sets out a water charge of €260 for two adults. This is all based on the very first cent of income. At least under the universal social charge, USC, one can earn €12,012 before tax is incurred, although Jack O'Connor wants to reform this and I...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: These are important points and I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing them to be heard.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: These taxes of €160 and €260 apply on the very first euro of income and amount to a poll tax. This measure has been transferred from Thatcherite England and has been embraced by parties I knew as the Labour Party of Noel Browne and the Fine Gael Party of the just society. Why are these parties addicted to this poll tax? When water was financed through income tax, it was a...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister. While I have been absent from the House of late, down at the banking inquiry in the basement, I have looked up at the monitor. From that purgatory I have seen the heaven of the Seanad Chamber and I have wished I was here at the debate. Perhaps, when the Lord wants to punish one, he grants one's wishes. Therefore, I have come here for this great debate. I am pleased...