Results 20,721-20,740 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: We are on Report Stage. This is all nonsense. The Senators are grandstanding.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Why is the Senator asking Senators Gerard P. Craughwell and David Cullinane that? The Minister of State is here to take Report Stage.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: We are not living in a fascist state. They can make up their own minds.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator would set up a hierarchy of citizens in our republic.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: It usually does not.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: To clarify, will the Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill adjourn at 2.45 p.m. if it is not finished? Does the Leader intend to carry it over or does he wish to conclude it then?

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Leader. I wish to raise a specific case with the Leader. I would not do this on the Order of Business but for the severity of the case. A constituent made contact with me about a matter that relates to the broader issue of health insurance, health insurance coverage and how health insurance companies such as Aviva deal with their customers. The man's name is Colm Callaghan....

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: My apologies. He will be well known because the case is public, but I apologise for that. However, my constituent requires life saving medical attention and an operation that is only available in Canada. This has been confirmed by St. Vincent's Hospital. A liver operation is required. The galling matter is that this family has health insurance and the insurance policy document, which I...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I worked in the insurance industry myself and I have the policy documents here. We have asked the Minister for Health to assist as best he can. The family wrote to him on 16 July. I will give the Leader the details afterwards and I ask his office to take this case up with the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, who I am sure will be sympathetic. It may be that the State will have to...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: If this man can raise the money, €200,000, he can get a lifesaving treatment in Canada that is not available in Europe or Ireland. It is groundbreaking surgery. Aviva needs to do the decent thing-----

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: -----admit the claim and allow this man and his family to travel to Canada to get the treatment and the operation that will save his life. He is 47 years old. As the Leader knows, I do not generally raise specific health cases like this. It is just the week that is in it, because the Dáil is not sitting and we are. I will give him the details. I have written to the Minister, Deputy...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator should be used to it at this stage.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: It must be great to be an Independent.

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, lines 9 to 13, to delete all words from and including “each of” in line 9 down to and including “Seanad Éireann.” in line 13 and substitute the following: “the office of the Clerk of Dáil Éireann.”. When we debated the Bill last week, the Minister of State, Deputy Harris,...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Minister for his response to my initial queries. It sheds a little more light on the response we received on Second Stage. Reference to a seven-year renewable term would make a great deal more sense. The problem is the way in which the legislation is written. It refers to a number of years, months and-or days. That leaves it up to the commission. The legislation is not...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Minister of State for his response. He mentioned Secretaries General. I have asked whether there is any other grade of principal officer or higher where we have set a fixed term. I am aware of fixed terms for Secretaries General. That is the specific one, because that is the equivalent role. That is the job. What other such positions in the service have a fixed term? I am...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Minister of State. We are not trying to be difficult at all. We are trying to tease this out. I know the Minister of State has been asked a number of questions, but I asked whether there is any equivalent-----

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no way the amendment would set someone up as an officer for life. If that were the case, it would be necessary to introduce term limits for all principal officers and higher executive officers. I have outlined the issue, namely, the failure to specify a term. As Senator Cummins also noted, if the Minister had proposed a term of seven years to be followed by a review or renewal, I...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá brón orm. These are well thought-out amendments and we are trying to tease out the issue, as we are required to do. I am not trying to be difficult and I accept that the Minister of State is doing his best to answer the questions we have put to him. However, I am not happy with this provision because it could cause a problem further down the line. I am pursuing the matter for...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (20 Jul 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.