Results 20,881-20,900 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Minister of State, Deputy Dara Murphy is very welcome to the House. I am puzzled as to why he is not in the Department of Finance himself. He is responsible for European affairs and data protection. I would have believed that the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, or his Minister of State, Deputy Simon Harris, who are responsible for this legislation, would have been here....

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: There is a real issue. We have 11 or 12 amendments on the Bill that we will table. I do not doubt the Government's desire to afford protection to mortgage holders but I believe the legislation needs to be strengthened sufficiently. The Minister of State referred to the question of why loan books are sold. We understand why they are sold. Mortgage holders wonder, in connection with the...

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: We should try to explain to people why, when the Government sells their mortgages to a vulture fund, they have no opportunity to get a discount on their mortgages in the same way multi-billion dollar enterprises did when the Government sold the IBRC residential mortgage book at a substantial discount. People in the portfolio will have their houses repossessed on the back of it.

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I did not mean anything by it.

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Minister of State is very welcome. I did not mean any offence to him.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: It is a good day for the Seanad that Commissioner Hogan will address it. I welcome this opportunity for Senators to raise issues. I call on the Leader to raise a matter with the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, regarding his non-attendance here last week. He said he was not advised on time about a Commencement debate. This was untrue because his Department was advised of the matter...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: This is an important issue. We do not have a transplant surgeon who deals with pancreatic transplants. At least ten people are waiting for this surgery currently but the waiting list has been suspended. Furthermore, none of these patients have access to transplant co-ordinators in Beaumont. They have been told that if they have an issue they must go to the accident and emergency unit....

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I meant to say No. 70, motion 17. I propose that No. 70, motion 17, be taken before No. 1.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I know. I am not seeking a debate, rather that the motion be passed by the Seanad. As an independent House of the Oireachtas, we can send a very clear message that the Seanad does not support the targeting of single parent families and the level of cuts to be foisted upon them from next week. The move started way back in 2012 and everyone knows it is wrong. I ask colleagues to accept No....

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: They have Timmy Dooley to help them.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: He has learned his lesson.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: He picks and chooses the debates.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: That is a pity.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: No.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Commissioner Phil Hogan (23 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I am delighted that the Commissioner is here today. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I formally congratulate him on his appointment as EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. I know he will carry out the role with great distinction. We will watch very closely how our Commissioner performs. I know he is a European Commissioner but I have used the term "our...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Accommodation Provision (18 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the Minister of State. I am slightly bemused that he is answering on this matter, which concerns Beaumont Hospital. I have a lot of regard for the Minister of State as we have debated a number of things and taken Bills together. None the less I am extremely disappointed that neither the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, nor the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Accommodation Provision (18 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I am sure he does.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Accommodation Provision (18 Jun 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Minister of State for outlining the reply. It is most interesting that what the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, gave the Minister of State to read to the House is an identical copy of the statement issued by Beaumont Hospital yesterday. Is the Minister for Health simply a nodding dog here? He has not even bothered to produce any new information at all. It is an identical copy of...