Results 5,001-5,020 of 26,864 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: We support the proposal to remove this section in order to make sure Senator Cummins retains the Fine Gael Whip.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: It is done already.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator voted for it.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator voted for it in the Finance Bill.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I want to flag that on Report Stage we will be tabling a review amendment also under this section to provide that within three months of the enactment of the Bill, the Minister would lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on measures to be undertaken to protect vulnerable people from engaging in harmful gambling and the manner in which all operators of betting and gambling services...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: We are due to take the Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013 today. In that context, I do not know whether the Leader has received an indication regarding whether the Minister is going to provide an update on the gambling control Bill, which was supposed to be introduced in conjunction with the former. Last week the Minister gave a commitment to seek an update on the current status of the gambling...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 1: 1. In page 41, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following:“40. The Minister shall, within 3 months of the enactment of this Act, lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on measures that will be undertaken to protect vulnerable people from engaging in harmful gambling and the manner in which remote betting intermediaries must assist in...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Senator Craughwell has explained better than I ever could why this amendment is necessary. We had a good debate last week when a different Minister of State was in the House. We are trying to improve this legislation. Long before Senator Craughwell was elected, I and Senator Cummins had been raising issues about the Betting (Amendment) Bill. We wanted this legislation before the House for...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: That is not covered by this Bill because it is considered gambling as opposed to betting. Let us consider all the various screens in bookie's shops, or roulette wheels with maximum bets of €100 per number. People can go into a card club or casino. I had hoped the gambling Bill would be introduced to regularise that sector and allow a public element in casinos. It is ridiculous that...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: That is it. Since there is no control in this area, I could do that. The only control in that case would be my wife. That is the reason for the amendment. It is not to cause any difficulty in any way, shape or form. We all agree this is a serious matter. It should be treated as such. We need the gambling control Bill but we do not have it.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Bill is an important step in the right direction; it will level the playing field for independent or traditional bookmakers in respect of the multinationals of the world, and it will regulate online betting. However, I inform colleagues that it does nothing about online gambling. I ask each Member here who has a concern about this area - including the Minister of State, who has more...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: That is a breath of fresh air from the Government side. In the short to medium-term, can a debate be arranged on public procurement and the involvement of Irish businesses, in particular indigenous businesses, in State contracts? The reason I ask is that I published a Bill last week which I intend to move in our next Private Members' time. It relates to improving access for Irish...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Acting Leader.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I congratulate the Irish cricket team on a fantastic victory this morning. It was very hard fought and follows its win against the West Indies last week. The Irish cricket team has not received any capital funding from this Government. We need a few extra quid to finish our ground in Malahide. This is the perfect time for the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senator. Later today we will have a debate on the health service, tabled by my party. I hope the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, will take it. Some of his comments on Tony O’Connell’s letter about-----

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The former national director of acute hospitals in the Health Service Executive, HSE, who no longer works within the HSE-----

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the letter from the HSE on the report of the number of wards taken up because there are no proper step-down facilities in place. Last September, there were 703 delayed discharges from hospitals. That is equivalent to 30 wards remaining unavailable to people who need those beds, many of which are acute beds. We have discussed this time and again over the past three and a half...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: We will not have a debate specifically on this issue. I suggest to the Leader that we have a public consultation session in the Seanad on this area. That has worked very well before. The local authorities have a role in this with regard to housing adaptation grants and various things that can be done and fixed very quickly without much money. It is important. We are not getting...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: It is our international grounds.