Results 23,801-23,820 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: If so, fair play to him as very few did. How many Government Members even bothered to go outside to listen to people's concerns? I will not even bother to go over all the promises that were made prior to the last election. As the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, stated on television a few days ago, they were only election promises and so they...

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: My question also relates to the section as it regards remuneration for board members and their status as employees. Will they be public sector workers, for example? The Minister of State has mentioned public sector pay grades. I do not imagine the Minister of State has details of full staffing levels but with the establishment of NAMA by the previous Government, there were issues, as well...

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: From there on.

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: So in 12 years' time when the Minister of State is Minister for Finance, he is committed to re-examining this.

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: We will see in a minute if it is relevant.

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I wish to comment on amendment No. 42. The change is welcome and it was also a concern of the credit union movement. How will the Department monitor these changes? Most of the regulation is welcome and the Irish League of Credit Unions has done a good job of engaging with the Government and the Department on issues about which it is concerned. The league understands the day-to-day...

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree with Senator Reilly and I will table the amendment again on Report Stage if appropriate. It is unnecessarily restrictive with regard to volunteers but I welcome that the Minister of State has extended the eligibility of those who might serve. The preclusions prior to this were too restrictive and it is a way forward. What is the view of the Minister of State on smaller credit...

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: No it is not, but it is relevant.

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: It is a sensible Government amendment that follows on from the debate in the other House and Second Stage here and we will certainly support it. Senator Michael D'Arcy has mentioned a couple of points that I would have raised but it is a sensible amendment and, I hope, it will be utilised by credit unions into the future where they are able to invest in State projects.

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: May I use this opportunity to seek clarification. The Minister of State answered Senator D'Arcy on amendment No. 18, but amendment No. 19 is related to it. I do not want to delay the debate, but I would like more detail of the savings and share limits the Minister of State mentioned. He said he was replacing an existing subsection with a provision to allow the Central Bank to further...

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Have those regulations already been prepared?

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not wish to labour the point, but I find it strange that we are looking to amend the section by putting in new limits that will be set in additional regulations that do not form part of the Bill. We are being asked to vote-----

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: That is what I want to get to. Am I being asked to agree to something although I do not know what it is going to be?

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Are we proposing any major changes to that?

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: We will come back to this on Report Stage, when we may get further clarification. I will not oppose the amendment at this stage.

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: If the Minister of State does not mind.

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: The Minister of State mentioned new registrations. The Minister of State related a number of requirements when operating a more limited business model but if the Bill is passed, could the Central Bank move with these powers on an existing credit union? Does it only apply to new registrations?

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: It would not preclude other additional services. If Senator Gilroy read the amendment, he would see that it states, "but are not limited to the following".

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: It would not limit the list to these services. I wish to give notice that we will table this amendment again on Report Stage. It was not included for technical reasons, but I intend to submit a similar amendment on Report Stage.

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012 : Committee Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I support this amendment, which is very similar to one we produced but which has not been tabled for discussion for technical reasons. However, I intend to table it on Report Stage. I agree with Senators D'Arcy and Reilly that more flexibility is required, especially when we look at the consolidation of the banking network. I am not saying the credit unions are not in the electronic age...