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

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Hate Crime) Bill 2021: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Barry Ward: That is super. I thank Dr. Schweppe very much. Just knowing how this kind of legislation is being applied in the UK at the other end of the scale, in terms of the trivialisation of it, sections 29 to 32, inclusive, of the Crime and Disorder Act in the UK contain similar provisions. I am aware of instances where, for example, somebody is arrested for something like a public order offence...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Hate Crime) Bill 2021: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Barry Ward: Very briefly on head 9, I welcome the provision that makes denying genocide an offence. I ask this question on behalf of somebody who has been in contact with me. I wonder about the denial aspect and the free speech aspect that comes with it. Personally, I am satisfied, but is there a concern that this could be extended? The head specifically refers to the definition under Article 11. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Hate Crime) Bill 2021: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Barry Ward: I would like to hear what Dr. Schewppe has to say, if that is okay with the Chair. However, to clarify, this person was specifically taking as an example suspicion around vaccines, because it might be attributed to certain groups more than others, such as people who are not Irish and may not have the same trust of the systems here that Irish people do. This person was concerned that that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Hate Crime) Bill 2021: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Barry Ward: I do and I thank Dr. Schweppe for her response. I am sorry; that it was a garbled question.

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...

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 (15 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: I want to talk about cyberbullying and, in particular, gender-based cyberattacks that are taking place against people across this country and continent. We have made a lot of progress recently in terms of legislative initiatives and making it clear that certain online activity must be illegal and cannot be tolerated. It is important we set down those markers to recognise the damage this...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: I join with others in wishing everybody a happy Christmas. Obviously, it is a happy time of year for many but, unfortunately, a sad time for others. It is appropriate to mark the death last Sunday morning of Frank Callanan SC, who was a former colleague and friend of mine. We often like to say in Ireland that somebody is a gentleman and a scholar and that statement could not be truer of...

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...

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

Barry Ward: Does Ms O'Regan wish to come in on that issue?

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

Barry Ward: Am I out of time?

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

Barry Ward: I have a brief question about the jury system. I believe there are a lot of flaws in it that may not apply to this committee meeting, but specifically I wish to raise the issue of trial by a jury of one's peers and the diversity of juries, in the context of the various groups that are meeting here. When we look at juries they tend to be relatively homogenous. There is generally a good...

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

Barry Ward: I wish to address the issue of juries again. Regarding what Ms O'Regan said, I am not sure I properly understood what she was suggesting. Was she suggesting that people should be polled concerning aspects of their lives that may be diverse, such as sexual orientation or being a member of the Traveller community or an ethnic community? Other groups of people may have intellectual...

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

Barry Ward: It is my fault.

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

Barry Ward: The Acting Chair can stop me if he needs to, but regarding the information available to the lawyers in court concerning the personal details of jurors, my understanding is that usually the address is provided and, sometimes, an occupation as well. Would Ms O'Regan be happy if there was also an opportunity for prospective jurors to provide information about their ethnicity, sexual...

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

Barry Ward: Yes.

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

Barry Ward: I thank Dr. Mbugua. I ask Mr. Joyce the same question about the Traveller community.