Results 2,281-2,300 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: Possible Sale of Aer Lingus: Statements (28 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister to the House. It is not the first time the Minister and I have had these discussions on aviation policy and I am sure we will have many more. I do not know what the board of Aer Lingus recommended and agreed to. If there is nothing there, as the Minister's speech said, that is fine with me because like the Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform,...

Seanad: Universities (Development and Innovation) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (28 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the Minister. I thank the Bills Office, the Leader's office, the Cathaoirleach's office and my research assistants, Dr. Charles Larkin and Ms Ursula Ní Choill, for their help in preparing the Bill. We are dealing with the role of the university and the contribution it will make in the future to the development of Ireland...

Seanad: Universities (Development and Innovation) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (28 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: It is a very nice quotation.

Seanad: Universities (Development and Innovation) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (28 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister for her comments and thoughts on the Bill. I assure her with regard to the pay and pensions provisions, that I was hoping to save money. The aim was to ensure pay and pension disputes would be resolved without recourse to the High Court. I agree with Senator David Norris's suggestion that we invoke the statutory instruments that place the burden on the trustees of...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (28 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: Nobody needs an excuse to go to San Francisco.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (28 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: I welcome Professor Kane. On page 11 of his submission, he refers to "the risks incurred in backstopping TBTF firms cannot be calculated and priced in the straightforward way that the risks of bond or insurance contracts can". How does he calculate the risk? Can he comment on the estimate of Ms Admati that it is worth approximately $300 billion a year in the United States to have that...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (28 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: We should have had a number of that kind in our accounts ever since bank regulation began in Ireland.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (28 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: Professor Kane mentioned on page 3 that there is a role for both regulators and auditors to explicitly monitor loss-shifting activity. We will ask questions of auditors. What should they be doing in properly regulating banks after what has happened in Ireland and the US since 2008?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (28 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: Professor Kane says that both officials and industry lobbyists resist transparent performance accounting. What do we have in transparent performance accounting?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (28 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: Could two kinds of banks emerge from this, where we guarantee some and the rest have a note on the door informing people that they are not guaranteed by the Government? One is a utility bank and the other is some kind of casino.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (28 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: Regulators as trustees brings a new kind of regulation. If we must recommend what new regulators should be doing, trustees presumably have a view of how regulation is performed in the interest of society as a whole. Can Professor Kane develop the point?

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the fact that the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications is to have hearings on the sale of Aer Lingus to British Airways. I commend the Chairman, Deputy John O'Mahony. The examination of the sale announced in the House yesterday by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport involves a review body involving NewERA, two investment banks and one of the big...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Second Stage (29 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister. Like other Senators, I support the Minister and this Bill. As I was coming to the House I heard Senator Whelan refer to Chinese walls. There is a story that one law firm in Dublin has so many Chinese walls that we can also see it from outer space. I do not believe in Chinese walls any more than Senator Whelan does. It is interesting that President Obama is on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Proposed Sale of Aer Lingus: Discussion (29 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: I welcome our guests. There is strong and pretty much unanimous support in the Seanad - which does not get reported very much - as our guests will have heard from Senators Brennan and Mooney, for the case they have been making. The Minister came into the Seanad yesterday to announce the committee, and I note that there are some misgivings today that it is excessively focused on finance in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Proposed Sale of Aer Lingus: Discussion (29 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: I agree with what my two colleagues have said. I am surprised at the attitude of the chambers. That is fine if they got the guarantees. Aer Lingus is a profitable company that has done a huge amount to develop this country but when one looks at the performance of British Airways in its own market its consumer ranking is No. 17. It is not Singapore Airlines. It is substantially...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Proposed Sale of Aer Lingus: Discussion (29 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: It took about 40 minutes to say that. The point should have been made upfront.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Proposed Sale of Aer Lingus: Discussion (29 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: I tried to get the same autonomy for Cork Airport that was granted to Shannon Airport but there was no support coming from Cork. That is fine if one wants to run it as a suburb of Dublin Airport but nothing seemed to activate people. If one does not say things, it will not happen, so Cork Airport is still stuck in that situation and Shannon Airport is thriving. I have written a few...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Proposed Sale of Aer Lingus: Discussion (29 Jan 2015)

Sean Barrett: British Airways will operate a service from Dublin to Tokyo. Is that why Ms Quin is in favour of it?

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Feb 2015)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the record level of applications to the Central Applications Office for third level courses which are to begin this autumn. I wish all the applicants every good fortune. This will be an exciting period in their lives. We are certainly excitedly looking forward to seeing them all when they enter as freshmen in the autumn. Think of that optimism and beware the prophets of gloom...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Feb 2015)

Sean Barrett: This is a major policy issue. The Irish Takeover Panel which advised the Department has two nominees from the Central Bank. I support the Leader today with regard to the Governor of the Central Bank, who wants to be in this House more. We are speeding up the legislation to allow him to appear. Also on the board of the Irish Takeover Panel are nominees from the Irish Banking Federation,...