Results 241-260 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I wish to deal, first, with what happened at the meeting of the finance committee yesterday. Those who like to view what happens here as a Punch and Judy show can put their own interpretation on what happened. The point at issue is that Parliament has a role to play in dealing with the national finances and the issue of reinvesting in the banks. It was in that spirit that we asked the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for the material he sent me this morning in his role over the Office of Public Works, OPW, on how to appraise capital projects. I agree with section 1's removal of people earning between €4,000 and €10,000 per annum from the scope of the universal social charge, USC, but most of sections 2 to 141, inclusive, are debatable. For instance, will...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: Are they paying their taxes?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister. I have two points to make on this section which will save time later. The first is on the general issue of these tax expenditures as a concept. I also have some thoughts on the particular one at which we are looking here which refers to research and development. Some of the countries with which we will deal use tax expenditures much more sparingly than we do. There...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister, in particular for his last remarks which relate to the necessity for reform he inherited. The latest information he has on research and development is welcome. As the Minister mentioned, the commission stated in 2009 that because the research and development tax credit scheme has been in place only since 2004 there is limited information available against which to...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: The relevant points have been made. The recommendation of the commission on income tax is that the ex ante evaluation process should take place and we should have the kind of discussion on these matters when they come to the House as we do during ordinary debates. That is accepted and the Minister and I are ad idem on that. I welcome what has been said about tax expenditures in general.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I understand this refers to films. The film tax break was reviewed by the Commission and given a mild endorsement when it stated that the benefits of the scheme to the Irish economy are very low and have declined in recent years. INDECON looked at it as it applied between 2003 and 2006. That was a time when our GDP was growing at approximately 5.5% per year. We could afford that luxury...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I will be brief because the Minister has been most patient with us. There is the issue of tax breaks but there is another issue which I am aware the Minister's colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, is investigating. The OECD has recommended that we phase out our renewable energy subsidies. If the direct subsidies are under question,...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: The recommendation refers to patents. I thank the Minister for his physics lecture. We will put it in the research and development section. The Commission had strong views on tax exemptions on patent royalties. It stated: "We have reservations about the effectiveness of the measures in incentivising companies to engage in R&D activities in Ireland. We are of the view that the relief has...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister for his response and interpretation.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I move recommendation No. 21: In page 186, to delete lines 20 and 21 and substitute the following: "(b) €285 in respect of an insured person aged 18 to 60 years, and (c) €95 in respect of an insured person aged 60 years or over.". I welcome the Minister back to the House. Section 105 and recommendations Nos. 21 and 22 deal with the health insurance market in Ireland. While in theory the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister and Senator Bradford for the contributions. There is an indication from Milliman that the excess costs of the VHI operation are a far bigger factor than risk. There is even evidence that the problem of old people's health costs are being exaggerated, with people usually being pretty healthy until the last six months of life. The foundation of the case may be open to...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: Arising from the Order of Business, I ask that the Leader allow leniency in regard to the 2.30 p.m. time limit on the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011. There are 141 amendments, of which 90 are proposed by the Minister. The bodies concerned have not been consulted, even though the Minister said he would consult them when he was in the House last July....

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 8: In page 12, line 27, to delete line 24 and substitute the following: "(1) The general functions of the Authority, other than in relation to the previously established universities, shall be to-- (a) comply with section 14 of the Act of 1997, (b) perform its duties without prejudice to the principles of academic freedom and academic tenure,". I welcome the Minister of...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister of State most sincerely for his response, which is good to hear. As he will be aware, the Comptroller and Auditor General examined all these matters in his resource management study. What he found was that the funds provided for this purpose were top-sliced from the teaching budget. Top-slicing is a word I hate and is regarded in golf as ending up in a bunker. Much of...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: No. I thank the Minister of State for his clarification. The key issue is that an external examiner from outside the country who is qualified in engineering, economics or whatever in the relevant subject already assesses university courses. It is the fault of the universities that they do not stress to the Minister and his officials that they already undergo external examinations. The...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 9: In page 12, subsection (1)(b), line 27, to delete "formulate national" and substitute "guide".

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 20: In page 15, subsection (2), line 16, to delete "the Minister" and substitute "Seanad Éireann". All of the eight person body will be appointed by the Minister. I am trying to find a role for this House similar to the idea that appointments to State boards in other Departments would come before the Oireachtas. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport was one of...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: No. There is a difference of emphasis between myself and the Minister of State.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 22: In page 17, lines 13 to 33, to delete subsections (3) to (5). Subsection (3), which I am seeking to delete, provides that the chief executive shall not be required to give account before a committee for any matter which has been or may be the subject of proceedings before a court or tribunal in the State. It is almost the negative version of what the Minister of...