Results 1,361-1,380 of 1,746 for speaker:Barry Ward

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: There is a debate going on in one of our national papers about two of our MEPs who have adopted certain positions in respect of a range of issues. They have been called a national embarrassment by Kathy Sheridan. In today's paper, there is a letter defending their position from Clare Daly, MEP, and Mick Wallace, MEP. It is not for me to say who is or is not a national embarrassment or...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: I support the amendment as well. Senator Boyhan mentioned the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company on which he served a number of terms on the board. When I first became a member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in 2009 I was selected by the council at that time to be a member of the harbour board, but before I had a chance to take up the position these Houses changed the law to...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: I want to make two points in the context of the Minister of State's reply. I respect what he said about the importance of the local authorities. He said that a local authority member is not precluded from becoming a chief executive of MARA. With respect, that is a slightly silly comparison. The people who get involved in local authorities do so because they have an interest in getting...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: Smoking is a scourge that has been with us for generations. It benefits no one. It certainly does not benefit the smokers themselves, their families or the people around them. It does not benefit our health service. In fact, the only potential beneficiaries of smoking are the industry and the Exchequer. Part of the problem is that our approach to dealing with the problem of smoking has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2021 (8 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: I will start from the end and work my way back. I will start from head 42. I am astonished this has found its way into the draft heads of the Bill. The notion that we would interfere with the right of a person to be represented by legal counsel at the point of questioning is anathema to the system we have. We have a very delicate balance within our criminal justice system, central to which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2021 (8 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: I am probably okay for the moment. The matters I wish to raise are short.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2021 (8 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: I appreciate what the Department has said in respect of interviews. There is so little time to go through what is good in this Bill. I recognise its importance and specifically what was said about the codification of this legislation, finally. It is putting in place what the Supreme Court has said in Gormley and other cases, and that is important. It is a difficult area to gauge because...

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (7 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: I dtús báire, ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Tánaiste. Gabhaim mo bhuíochas agus ár mbuíochas leis as an méid atá déanta aige ar son muintir na hÉireann, gnóthaí na hÉireann agus tionscal na hÉireann chun tacaíocht a chur in áit dóibh ionas go mbeidh siad ann tar éis na srianta, ionas go...

Seanad: Maternity-Paternity Leave for County and City Councillors: Motion (7 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: I welcome this debate. I have been listening to what Senators have had to say and agree wholeheartedly with their comments. Ironically this is the very first issue I raised as a Senator after my election in the summer of 2020. I raised the issue because when I went out to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for the meeting at which the seat I had occupied was being filled by the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: We all know the legacy of certain religious institutions in the context of sex abuse and the fact that, to a large extent, they have not paid their dues in terms of the liabilities to the individuals damaged by their activities. That has manifested in a number of ways, and there is a larger issue I do not propose to discuss, but I will address an issue relating to a school in my area,...

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Education): Statements (2 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I do not envy the Minister her position. From day one, she has faced difficulties in her job. On the whole, however, she and her team have done a very good job. The Minister referred to bringing in people who have retired or are not part of the mainstream cohort of teachers to substitute and fill gaps where they arise. I welcome that. It is a...

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Education): Statements (2 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: I accept that the Minister's acknowledgement in that regard. I appreciate that. The Minister has issued guidelines to schools on mask wearing, which have caused significant upset among parents. Leaving aside the children who have particular difficulties, for example, children with a hearing difficulty who are required to lip-read for whom mask wearing obviously creates a problem, on the...

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Education): Statements (2 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: I am making a statement and it does-----

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Education): Statements (2 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: There is a proposal for a site in Mount Anville which seems to be stuck in the mud. This proposal needs to moved along because next September the school will not have enough room. Similarly, on the autism spectrum disorder class in Booterstown, has the Minister any update on the progress with the site for St. Mary’s Boys National School? There is also an important issue I raised on...

Seanad: Human Rights in China: Motion (1 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo. I have raised these issues on a number of occasions in this Chamber and elsewhere. It is important to make the distinction in this debate between China and its people, on the one hand, that is, the ordinary citizens trying to go about their lives, educate and feed their children and make a living, and the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Nov 2021)

Barry Ward: China has abused its position on Interpol by issuing red notices in respect of dissidents from its own jurisdiction. China uses the Interpol red notice system to catch people such as Uighurs dissidents and people abroad who speak against the regime. China gets these people arrested in other countries through Interpol and then repatriates them by means of extradition. That is an absolute...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021: Motion (25 Nov 2021)

Barry Ward: None of us wishes to be where we are. I appreciate what the Minister of State said about the renewal of this legislation. Necessarily, when we passed this Act into law earlier this year we included a sunset clause because we all hoped that there would be an end to this and it was recognised that there was a certain draconian element to the regulations that needed to be revised. We now...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Minorities Engaging with the Justice System: Discussion (24 Nov 2021)

Barry Ward: I am sorry I had to leave the meeting due to Senators being called for a vote. I missed some of the points made but I have read the opening statements. I refer to the just a minute, JAM, card mentioned in the submission from the Courts Service. It can be used by people with certain intellectual or learning disabilities or autism or whatever it might be in circumstances where they just...