Results 1,781-1,800 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Forthcoming ECOFIN Council: Minister for Finance (18 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: The other question was about the tailored guidance on health and legal services

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Forthcoming ECOFIN Council: Minister for Finance (18 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: We spend a higher percentage of GDP on health than other member states and we have a younger population. The Commission is always trying to reconcile those indicators. Was anything said about that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome our visitors. We had a call to the office from the chairman of the fiscal council of Cyprus, who wants to get in touch with Professor McHale.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: Forecasting is not an important part of economics unlike resource allocation. That is what is wrong with the economy. I will hand over after that soliloquy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: On some of the Piketty stuff, about which Professor McHale was telling members and which was raised by Deputy Boyd Barrett, one problem with it is tax avoidance, tax lawyers and tax accountants, whereby so much of fiscal policy is exempt if one happens to have enough tax lawyers and tax accountants in one's stable. The council is proposing macro measures, from which very rich individuals and...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: In the past hour in Belfast City Hall, Queen Elizabeth II praised those who turn the impossible into the possible. She pointed out that societies are based on trust, respect, justice and interdependence. In turning the impossible into the possible, it is remarkable that one of her visits this morning was to the Crumlin Road Jail. The Queen was accompanied by the First Minister, who spent...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I wish to second Senator Crown's amendment. He is a leading expert in the field and we are all aware of his knowledge, commitment and support for the Minister in strengthening the legislation. In that spirit, it is a pleasure for me to second Senator Crown's amendment.

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: The Minister mentioned a website that would contain a list of appalling ingredients in the product we seek to control. Listening to the dialogue between two members of the medical profession, could we include something in an amendment on Report Stage that if concerned about smoking, people could look up stopsmoking.com- a website which would give them all the information that would not fit...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: Section 12(1) provides that the "tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide content of a tobacco product shall not be printed on a unit packet or any other form of retail packaging of a tobacco product." When we discussed this provision previously the Minister indicated it may be used by a company to promote the view that its death-dealing commodity is less fatal than another company's product. Will...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister for his response. I will not oppose section 12.

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I join Senator Crown and others in congratulating the Minister on bringing this legislation through. In theSunday Independentlast Sunday a gentleman representing the industry claimed there are 1,900 people employed in the tobacco industry on the island of Ireland. As the Minister said, it kills 5,200 people every year and I would hate to be in an industry which had that kind of record. We...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Reform) Bill 2014: Second Stage (25 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister back to the House. I hope the evening we had yesterday, taking his Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014, will prove to be successful. On this occasion it is an honour, as always, to second Senator Quinn's Bill. I believe it has huge merit. I believe it is the right thing to do. There are so many problems arising in this area, not least, for...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I propose to raise two items on the cost of living. The Commission for Energy Regulation has reported that 20% of households cannot afford to pay their electricity bills. It is strange that this statement was made by the commission given that it continues to promote high-cost forms of electricity such as wind, biomass and turf and opposed the Ballylongford project which could have brought...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (26 Jun 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister and thank her for her address. The rate of post office closures slowed down recently. The development of a banking service through the post office, in particular, the payment of higher interest on savings should have been considered. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, told the House that there had been pressure from the...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2014)

Sean Barrett: I express some concern about the wording of No. 1, a motion on the draft protection of young persons in employment regulations. We all support the motion and nobody supports it more staunchly than the Deputy Leader. However, the title of the draft regulations contains the words "Exclusion of Workers in the Fishing and Shipping Sectors". Fishing is an extremely dangerous activity, as we...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Deputy Leader. I am happy to hear it. On a happier note, I congratulate Mr. Jean-Claude Juncker on becoming President of the European Commission with the support of the Taoiseach. There are interesting links between Ireland and Luxembourg as two small countries in the European Union. During the occupation of Luxembourg the arch duke joined the Irish Guards regiment of the...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (1 Jul 2014)

Sean Barrett: The issues dealt with in the Bill are extremely important. Reading the explanatory memorandum I note the tenancy warning as an alternative to evictions. FLAC has made the point to the Minister that evictions should be the last resort, particularly in a country with a strong attachment to history and what happened when people were evicted in large numbers. One of the reports on Irish housing...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (1 Jul 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister. I endorse and agree with all the compliments paid to him by Senator D'Arcy. Before I address the Bill, let me address two developments that have caused great satisfaction. The Minister will remember that on the Adjournment last year, reference was made to two mistakes on the leaving certificate mathematics paper. Former Senator Deirdre Clune was an engineer, the...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (1 Jul 2014)

Sean Barrett: The House shares those sentiments. The other great improvement this year concerns SUSI. Some 165,000 students are now happier because of a system that works. I acknowledge that there are always matters to be evened out. The Ombudsman is examining 55 complaints. Some 21 were resolved, with ten in favour of the student. Some 165,000 students could have applied for the payments. The...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2014: Second Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Sean Barrett: I think Senator Crown is known to have thoughts on these matters.