Results 1,721-1,740 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (27 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I agree with Senator O’Sullivan. Section 30 provides for the dissolution of Cork Airport Authority plc on a day to be appointed, by order, by the Minister. It also provides power for the Minister to re-establish Cork Airport Authority in the future. Cork would be in the top 20 airports in the UK and has been affected much less by the recession than Shannon. I support the...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (27 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I concur with Senator Darragh O'Brien. There are rebranding merchants at work who cost a fortune and I am not sure they provide value for money. I am concerned about the following reference on lines 20 and 21 of page 23: " 'State Airport’ means an airport in the State, managed and controlled by a company;". There must be a word or words missing between the words "a" and "company" as...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (27 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister for clarifying the matter. I agree with Senator Darragh O'Brien that rebranding merchants can cost significant sums of money. I do not know what they accomplish. They are concerned with images and logos, whereas the efficiency indicators to which the Minister referred relate to realities, which are much more important than images. I hope the change will not result in...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister and wish her well in her new appointment. I echo the sentiments of Senators O'Donovan and Conway in welcoming the Bill and the Minister. It is unfortunate that it has taken a long time for this to happen. We received the report on this from the Law Reform Commission in October 2005. As a new Minister with a new broom, the Morris, Smithwick and Guerin reports...

Seanad: Youth Guarantee and Rent Supplement: Statements (28 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Costello. I wish to follow on from Senator Moloney and speak about housing first. Part of the problem with NAMA is that its job is to keep up the price of property because it is an asset on the balance sheets of financial institutions. It would have been far better for the country if the price of property had been allowed to fall. That would have...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: As the counting in the European elections ended at 4 a.m. this morning, I congratulate our successful candidates for the European Parliament, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin for winning four seats each. Jim Nicholson is now the longest serving MEP from the island of Ireland and Brian Crowley, the second longest serving. On the island of Ireland, I note we have achieved perfect gender balance...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Forfás Dissolution) Bill 2013: Second Stage (29 May 2014)

Sean Barrett: I commend the Minister on his energy and the reforms he has pursued. He is the Minister who is most regularly in contact with Senators regarding announcements and news on policy developments. I welcome that contact and wish him success in his efforts. I agree with Senator Cummins about his native city. We need his kind of local patriotism and it is sad when certain cities do not prosper....

Seanad: Racism in Ireland: Motion (4 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank Senators Fiach Mac Conghail and Katherine Zappone for tabling this important motion. It was tabled within 24 hours of the First Minister of Northern Ireland having to apologise to the Muslim community. I believe he apologised genuinely and profusely to the Imam, Dr. Raied Al-Wazzan, in Belfast last evening. He regretted the incident which had been caused by the speech of Pastor...

Seanad: Racism in Ireland: Motion (4 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: Everybody is welcome and I am delighted Senator Bacik referred to the citizenship ceremonies which were introduced by the former Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter. I still recall people waiting at the back of the District Court until all of those who had committed burglaries, etc., had been dealt with before they could be sworn in as Irish citizens. The new regime in this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Green Paper on Energy Policy: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (4 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister to the meeting. On my way here this morning I saw that he was in the company of Wolfe Tone on the corner of St. Stephen's Green. I do not know which leadership or whatever he was following but I wish him the best of luck in that regard. I welcome the Green Paper. The Minister is open to discussion, as always. Will someone tell me the number of different ways there...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Green Paper on Energy Policy: Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (4 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: Is there a date for the publication of the fracking report?

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (5 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I understand the talks to save Bausch & Lomb in Waterford are at a crucial stage. I welcome the interventions made by two of our stalwarts in the House, Senators Maurice Cummins and David Cullinane, and wish them every success. I also welcome the news to be announced later of the appointment of Mr. Kevin O'Malley as ambassador of the United States to Ireland. This is something for...

Seanad: Friendly Societies and Industrial and Provident Societies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (5 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following:“(3) Notwithstanding this section a person who wishes to carry on a regulated business can apply to the Central Bank of Ireland for authorisation to carry on such a business under the Central Bank and Financial Services Act 2003.”.”.I welcome the Minister of State to the House. He will be...

Seanad: Friendly Societies and Industrial and Provident Societies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (5 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I note what the Minister of State has said. Presumably, it is possible for those who wish to set up a friendly society to apply to the Central Bank. I do not know why the Registrar of Friendly Societies does not want to perform the role any more. She does not want anybody to submit an application to her to set up a new friendly society. I know there has not been much demand. We will have...

Seanad: Friendly Societies and Industrial and Provident Societies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (5 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 2: In page 6, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following:“(c) the formation of a separate loan fund has received authorisation under the Central Bank and Financial Services Act 2003,”.We seek to have the creation of a separate loan fund at the discretion of the Central Bank. The registrar does not wish to see separate loan funds being created and the...

Seanad: Friendly Societies and Industrial and Provident Societies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (5 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I was trying to take up the invitation of the Minister of State to address the fact that we have no prudential supervision of friendly societies by putting it under the Central Bank. The registrar does not want to do it, the Central Bank does not want to do it and the friendly societies cannot set up loan funds. That we run into these culs-de-sac explains the background to some of the...

Seanad: Friendly Societies and Industrial and Provident Societies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (5 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 3: In page 7, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following:“(5) The powers, functions and duties of the registrar of friendly societies under sections 5 and 6 shall be transferred to the Central Bank of Ireland from the operative date.”.”.Given the lack of interest and lack of appetite from the Registrar of Friendly Societies, the amendment...

Seanad: Friendly Societies and Industrial and Provident Societies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (5 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: Section 8 states, "The powers, functions and duties of the registrar of friendly societies may be exercised and performed by such person or persons as the Minister may for the time being authorise." We have added a subsection that states, "The powers, functions and duties of the registrar of friendly societies under sections 5 and 6 shall be transferred to the Central Bank of Ireland from...

Seanad: Friendly Societies and Industrial and Provident Societies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (5 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister of State and wish him success in any contest in which he might be participating in the near future.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I wish to raise concerns about the recommendation by the Commission for Energy Regulation, published last Friday, that in the next accounting period the public service obligation charge on electricity should be increased by 55% from €210 million to €328 million. This would result in a 47% increase in the levy on domestic consumers, a 66% increase for small commercial consumers...