Results 22,041-22,060 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Please God. The Leader should use his good offices to ensure it happens.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: That is a breath of fresh air from the Government side. In the short to medium-term, can a debate be arranged on public procurement and the involvement of Irish businesses, in particular indigenous businesses, in State contracts? The reason I ask is that I published a Bill last week which I intend to move in our next Private Members' time. It relates to improving access for Irish...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Acting Leader.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: We are due to take the Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013 today. In that context, I do not know whether the Leader has received an indication regarding whether the Minister is going to provide an update on the gambling control Bill, which was supposed to be introduced in conjunction with the former. Last week the Minister gave a commitment to seek an update on the current status of the gambling...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 1: 1. In page 41, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following:“40. The Minister shall, within 3 months of the enactment of this Act, lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on measures that will be undertaken to protect vulnerable people from engaging in harmful gambling and the manner in which remote betting intermediaries must assist in...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Senator Craughwell has explained better than I ever could why this amendment is necessary. We had a good debate last week when a different Minister of State was in the House. We are trying to improve this legislation. Long before Senator Craughwell was elected, I and Senator Cummins had been raising issues about the Betting (Amendment) Bill. We wanted this legislation before the House for...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: That is not covered by this Bill because it is considered gambling as opposed to betting. Let us consider all the various screens in bookie's shops, or roulette wheels with maximum bets of €100 per number. People can go into a card club or casino. I had hoped the gambling Bill would be introduced to regularise that sector and allow a public element in casinos. It is ridiculous that...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: That is it. Since there is no control in this area, I could do that. The only control in that case would be my wife. That is the reason for the amendment. It is not to cause any difficulty in any way, shape or form. We all agree this is a serious matter. It should be treated as such. We need the gambling control Bill but we do not have it.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (18 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Bill is an important step in the right direction; it will level the playing field for independent or traditional bookmakers in respect of the multinationals of the world, and it will regulate online betting. However, I inform colleagues that it does nothing about online gambling. I ask each Member here who has a concern about this area - including the Minister of State, who has more...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I want to flag that on Report Stage we will be tabling a review amendment also under this section to provide that within three months of the enactment of the Bill, the Minister would lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on measures to be undertaken to protect vulnerable people from engaging in harmful gambling and the manner in which all operators of betting and gambling services...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: It was a pretty drastic measure by the Government to ensure that Senator Cummins backed this piece of legislation. It took this section out and put it in the Finance Bill because the Government knew he would not oppose a Finance Bill. Senator Cummins was vociferous in his argument on this particular item when we discussed it on Second Stage. I am not as concerned as he would be and just...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: We support the proposal to remove this section in order to make sure Senator Cummins retains the Fine Gael Whip.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: It is done already.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator voted for it.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator voted for it in the Finance Bill.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not wish to labour the point but section 5 deals with false representation. I support the section and support the proposal that if somebody other than a bookmaker represents him or herself as a bookmaker, this should be liable as an offence. However, I wish to make a point, on the basis of what we have discussed already, that while we are regulating one part of this sector strongly, we...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand what the Minister of State is saying but I back up Senator Craughwell on this point. The Minister of State mentioned that the Bill is due to be drafted so it is not yet at drafting stage. None of us can predict when the next election will take place but if the Bill is scheduled for the end of the year and we are getting into election territory, we can be pretty sure it will not...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I support Senator Craughwell's amendment. I will table a couple of amendments on Report Stage, in particular around the review, which I want to flag. Given the scheduling of this Bill, amendments had to be tabled by Monday, so the deadline was missed. Senator Cummins and I, in particular, and others have been asking for this legislation for a number of years, so I am pleased it is before...