Results 1,361-1,380 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome Mr. Mark Rodger to the Visitors Gallery. Mr. Rodger is a partner in Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, one of Canada's largest law firms. As we all know, there are strong connections between Ireland and Canada, going back as far as the founding father Thomas D'Arcy McGee. The Leader will know that Newfoundland is merely a suburb of Waterford. Our guest is most welcome. In the recent...

Seanad: Gas Regulation Bill 2013: Second Stage (17 Oct 2013)

Sean Barrett: As always, I extend a warm welcome to the Minister who attends the House more regularly than any other senior Minister, for which I thank him. I do not have any problems with privatisation. One does not have much choice in the matter when one reaches a debt to GDP ratio of 120%. This step had to be taken. Sometimes privatisation works out for the better, not only in terms of helping the...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Sean Barrett: It is welcome that the Taoiseach is coming to the House tomorrow. I hope it will be the start of a very useful dialogue on the future of the House. As the dust settles, some issues about the referendum require to be addressed. How did the opinion polls get it so completely wrong? I saw result predictions at figures of 44% to 27%, 62% to 38%, 64% to 36%, 59% to 41% and that only 29% of...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the free trade agreement announced on Friday last between the European Union and Canada. Ireland exports €2 billion in goods and services to that market. It is our 14th biggest export market. In April, we will have direct air services restored between Canada and Ireland by both Aer Lingus and Air Canada. There is much we could learn from contacts with Canada on the...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Statements (23 Oct 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Taoiseach and thank him for his graciousness. We all came to the Seanad after 2008 to try to help this country to get back from the dreadful situation it faced. The Leader has implemented many reforms, inviting Nobel prize winners, the Orange Order, all the Irish MEPs, people from the United Nations and a European Commissioner. There has been reform and I hope the Taoiseach...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Statements (23 Oct 2013)

Sean Barrett: If I may, I would like to share a minute. That expertise is valuable. It should be brought here and we should take account of it. We should take account of minorities and we should increase accountability. We might look to the cultural and educational panel, which I believe accounts for eight Senators, to see whether a new constituency can be fitted in there that would represent the third...

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (23 Oct 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister and compliment him on his negotiations in achieving the figure of a minimum of 60% of the national or regional average per hectare. That is part of the social objective of keeping people in rural Ireland and the various industries that stem from it. Some €11 billion will come to this country. Is it time to plan outside this figure of €11 billion? We...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2013)

Sean Barrett: In regard to the flagging that we are to announce a new alcohol policy today, in this case I ask that we look before we leap. Overall drink consumption in Ireland is falling and is not high by international standards. In international rankings The Economist places Australia first and Ireland 23rd; places such as Canada and the United Kingdom rank higher than Ireland. A head of steam has...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: I agree with Senators MacSharry and Burke on the need for a debate in the Seanad with the Minister for Finance on financial regulation in Ireland. It is not just that one credit union has cost us €54 million. An insurance company from the UK has had to be bailed out and two foreign banks, Danske and Rabo, have substantially reduced their operations in Ireland. This has all happened...

Seanad: Science Week: Statements (12 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, who is present for the debate on this intriguing topic. The word “science” comes from the Latin, scientia, which means knowledge. Nobody could speak in the House against knowledge but sometimes the gap between the hyperbole in terms of what we set out to do and the reality does let us down. On an Adjournment motion, Senator...

Seanad: Science Week: Statements (12 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: My point was that people who did not have a qualification in a subject should not be teaching it. Teachers with only a leaving certificate qualification in a science subject are really only one step ahead of the pupils they are teaching. I am arguing for a more coherent connection between education departments and teacher training colleges, on the one hand, and science departments, on the...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: I second what Senator O'Brien has said about health insurance. We have known for a very long time that VHI has hidden behind its alleged-----

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: Yes. We have known for a long time that the VHI has hidden behind its older profile of patients in order to impose levies on its competitors. This is another bailout today. I have raised several times in the House the Milliman report, which states: While it is undoubtedly true that VHI has an older and (arguably) sicker population than its competitors, we believe limited focus has been...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: Of course there is.

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (13 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: It is a great privilege to follow my colleagues in paying tribute to the late former Senator Eamon de Buitléar and his wonderful career in promoting the country, its teanga, nádúr agus ceol. He grew up in the Phoenix Park where his father was aide-de-camp to Douglas Hyde. It must have been a source of great happiness for him that the grounds of the Áras were shared with...

Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: We should consider the amendment proposed very seriously. There has been a change of allegiance from Fine Gael and the Labour Party to the Independent benches. In changes of circumstances and to deal with abuses the Minister and his predecessor had to deal with it, we are required to submit expense claims annually. One must declare one's residence as being X number of kilometres from...

Seanad: Gas Regulation Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: I have a small point regarding the amendment's attempt to insert "other than section 46". The version of this Bill I have has no section 46 and that might have to be examined. I do not know if there are other versions in the foyer. I will check that now.

Seanad: Electricity Transmission Network: Motion (13 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister to the House. I recall, in my student days, that the Minister for Transport and Power, as the title then was, the late Mr. Erskine Childers, who was later President, said at a meeting in college that the drawings he got of the ESB headquarters were a lot different to how it actually turned out. There is a cautionary note as to what advice is fed into the political...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Sean Barrett: On Nos. 1 and 2, it is important to note that direct services by the two airlines between Canada and Ireland will start next April. Currently, it is a 12 hour journey and for most Canadians, Ireland is located somewhere around Moscow. If we can facilitate travel to our nearest neighbour to the west, we should do so. I would not like a message to go out to Canadians that the Seanad was...