Results 1,521-1,540 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Tom Arnold (16 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank Mr. Arnold.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (16 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan. I welcome the Bill and thank Senators Paul Coghlan, Maurice Cummins and Denis Landy for their presentation. We on this side of the House have always found a most courteous reception when we table Private Members' Bills, and I thank them for that. The least we can do is to reciprocate their courtesy and kindness to us. I welcome the...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: The water issue will be discussed in the House tomorrow. Could I ask, as I did last week, that the activities of Irish Water be put under the scrutiny of the Comptroller and Auditor General. This would allow the matter to go to the Committee of Public Accounts, which has distinguished itself by extracting information that this House tried to extract when the Bill was being debated here but...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (21 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: I endorse Senator O'Neill's comments. The potential of people with no licences being caught in the system was bizarre. I will revert to that matter. As always, I welcome the Minister to the House. I was delighted to hear that he had accepted amendments from Deputies in the Lower House. Senator O'Neill referred to cases being thrown out. While we do not discuss individual cases, Mr....

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (21 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: Those penalty points to which Senator O'Neill referred are in our digest on page 13.

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (21 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: The Minister was interested in the figures, so it is just a point of information.

Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: Shame.

Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister of State, who is the only attractive feature of this situation. He is always welcome in this House and his courtesy and friendship towards Members is widely admired.

Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: Indeed. I propose his time be extended in honour of that. I am disappointed this body has not been put under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General which would mean a report to the Committee of Public Accounts. It needs to be accountable but it is not. As the Minister of State said, it was considered by the water reform sub-committee of the Cabinet Committee on Economic...

Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: If the Senator read the full article, she would understand it better. Why was the Commission for Energy Regulation chosen? It knows nothing about water. It is an extremely inefficient regulator of electricity in that we pay 42% above the European average. Was it because Bord Gáis already had it under its thumb and we would be giving water to an already compliant regulator? Why...

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2013: Second Stage (22 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2013: Second Stage (22 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: Aontaím leis an Seanadóir Ó Dálaigh agus an Seanadóir Ó Murchú. Is duine an-mhaith í an tAire Stáit, an Teachta Caitlín Ní Loinsigh, atá i láthair anseo. Cuirim fáilte roimh na daoine atá sa Ghailearaí, go mórmhór na daoine ó Choláiste na Tríonóide. Tá sé mar cheart ag...

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2013: Second Stage (22 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Standards in Public Office Commission Membership: Motions (22 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister and thank him for his nominations. One could conclude from the appointments that the number of surnames in Ireland is limited as it is proposed to replace two Smiths with two O'Keeffes.

Seanad: Standards in Public Office Commission Membership: Motions (22 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: I commend the Minister on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act, particularly in the case of the current controversy. I think the Comptroller and Auditor General, who was mentioned by the Minister in his speech, might also be of use to us in the current water controversy. He has an important role in the ethics business. This is a matter of concern to people. Regarding the...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: I support what Senator Darragh O'Brien said about the anniversary of the murder of Garda Adrian Donohoe. I extend our sympathies to the people of Lordship and Ballymascanlon and to the Garda and hope people will come forward to the Garda and the PSNI, because it is a joint investigation, to bring the perpetrators to justice. I wish to express concern over the banking inquiry. As reported...

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister and thank and wish Senator Rónán Mullen well in his endeavours. It is a pity we are continuing the process of reducing the number of MEPs from Ireland. We have lost about a third as I understand we had 16 at one time. The number is being continuously reduced. We need that representation and support in the European Parliament. John Bruton, the previous...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: The report on the fatal air crash at Cork Airport on 10 February 2011 was published today. It made strong criticisms of the Spanish authorities as the plane that crashed was licensed there. The report referred to inadequate command training, as well as inadequate checking and oversight of the operation by both Flightline, the Spanish airline involved, and the Spanish aviation authorities....

Seanad: Freedom of Information Act 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2014: Motion (29 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister to the House, as well as his amendment to the freedom of information legislation. Irish Water, which has had a dreadful start, needs to be brought under the freedom of information legislation. It should also come under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General as to how it spends money. I must commend the chairman of the Oireachtas environment committee,...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Act 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2014: Motion (29 Jan 2014)

Sean Barrett: We tried to have the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s guidelines for capital projects included in the legislation. However, we ran into the proverbial brick wall. Why is an energy regulator regulating water? Is it not a specialised field? Water engineers in the United Kingdom wanted to spend €27.4 billion between 2000 and 2015 on water services which was cut back...