Results 2,321-2,340 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Overview of Banking Sector: AIB (13 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: What steps has the organisation taken to ensure it obtains more accurate information on what is going on in the sector and the economy does not go off the rails again? I commend AIB on changing accountants, which was, I believe, in the spirit of the Honohan report. What has been the bank's experience of making this change and how has it contributed to the overall improvement in AIB's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Overview of Banking Sector: AIB (13 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: What company audits AIB now?

Seanad: Commemoration Planning: Statements (13 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister for her presentation and congratulate her on the successful launch last night. Someone from her part of the country is uniquely placed to celebrate this and it was an inspired choice of Minister. At the Battle of the Boyne site there is a very impressive full-colour photograph of the Taoiseach of the time, Bertie Ahern, and the First Minister of Northern Ireland at the...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I ask the Deputy Leader if we could have a debate on the rules that Senator Coghlan has just described. It is stated in the Nyberg report that had we had those rules on a 20% deposit and three and a half times income, the banks would have saved €62 billion. That is virtually all of the €64 billion we needed to bail them out. There...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: In the opinion polls this morning, the question "Should Kerry go it alone?" has a strong majority in favour.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: I understand that the island status is already there, in Valentia, the Blasket Islands, the Skelligs and so on. Of course we would miss Senators O'Sullivan, Moloney, Daly and Senator Coghlan himself. However, would the right side of this not be that the other 31 counties might win the Sam Maguire on the odd occasion? I wish Kerry the best of luck in its new status.

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Leader. Having reflected on this Seanad I think the problem it encountered was the attempt at abolition. We came in here, hit the ground running and had a brilliant year or so. The move to abolish us knocked us off course but we tried to come back as best we could. We did the task that the Leader annunciated and took legislation. For example, some legislation had 15...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: If today's proposal goes forward, with an electorate of 5.2 million as stated by the Minister of State, it will mean the Seanad will clash with the Dáil which has a smaller electorate. I do not want a mini-Dáil, a double sized Dáil or whatever. We are here to revise legislation. All second chambers are an artificial construction but the people voted to keep us. In response...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: In this area of public policy, the new entrants are the shining stars. We always say how much we appreciate young people and so forth. Unfortunately, however, the incumbents invariably find new ways to keep new entrants out. Regarding Senator Burke's point, the Competition Authority is a fairly barkless watchdog in these matters. There are so many examples in Ireland where the incumbents...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: The Minister of State rehearsed the list of people who are consulted. There were no patients. As a patient, I would be very pleased were this amendment implemented. It is like our other difficulty with the junior certificate. The 14 and 15 year olds I know were not asked whether they hate the idea that their work should be independently assessed. The matter is focused on the teachers....

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: I support the amendment. Senator Crown has spoken very persuasively based on his renowned expertise in his field. If there are symptoms of cancer, diabetes about which one hears a lot, and circulatory diseases or abnormalities such as HIV which were mentioned by Senator Crown, I would hope the professional in this case would not just tell the patient he or she needs a new pair of glasses...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Fifth Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: I tabled 15 amendments in respect of this Bill. I know the Minister will consider them again. There is a possibility that loopholes could leave the State open to challenge. It is drafted too broadly and I hope this can be remedied when it comes before the Dáil. It treats RCSI much more leniently than Waterford Institute of Technology or Dublin Institute of Technology, which is a...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: No, it is not. I thank the Minister for her explanation of the transfer of responsibility to other bodies. The wording included in the Bill encompasses the issue.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 23: In page 9, lines 18 and 19, to delete all words from and including “deletion” in line 18 down to and including line 19 and substitute “ “substitution of “authorised” for “administered”.”.Senator Reilly has proposed amendment No. 24 and she will speak more eloquently than I on that. Amendment No. 23...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister for her comments. I take it from the reference to "education or training facilities" in section 7 that the numbers of computers and laboratories and items of equipment used, sports fields, libraries and books will not be covered by a refusal of access to certain information. Perhaps it might be considered that if we need facilities, it would be better for us to have the...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: No; we have received a very comprehensive account of what "a person" is.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: No. The purpose of amendment No. 8 is to suggest, again for consideration, the use of the word "higher" before "education" in the Bill. That is the suggestion made.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: Amendment No. 9 refers to the proportion of the course which should be undertaken within this jurisdiction. I wonder whether somebody could lease 99% of a course. The legislation includes the words "in whole or in part" and we propose the insertion of the word "majority". Again, the amendment is proposed for the purposes of consideration when the Bill is brought before the Dáil. It...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Sean Barrett: No, it is not. How long does it take to decide whether an institution is a university? A period of three months has been specified.