Results 23,681-23,700 of 24,382 for speaker:Seán Barrett

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Oct 2009)

Seán Barrett: According to those on the other side of the House the European Central Bank is giving the money and we do not have to pay anything back. When the Government Deputies wake up, are they capable of asking themselves simple questions? No one gives money in this world unless they expect it to be paid back. No one gives long-term guarantees unless they expect that there is a decent risk. Proper...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Oct 2009)

Seán Barrett: Would the Deputy mind remaining asleep and then read up his notes on the Third World, about which he should be greatly concerned.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Oct 2009)

Seán Barrett: Deputy Power knows a good man about the odds and these are not good odds and the Deputy knows it. They are simply not good odds.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Oct 2009)

Seán Barrett: I am pleased to see that the Minister for Finance is on his way and I call on him, before he wraps up, to explain to me how he proposes to handle the Anglo Irish Bank scene. Would the Minister for Finance ask the child beside him to stay quiet, please?

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Oct 2009)

Seán Barrett: Give the Deputy a sucky sweet.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Oct 2009)

Seán Barrett: My simple question is that Anglo Irish Bank will hand over its debts to NAMA and NAMA will hand money back to Anglo, but there is a vast gap because they will not give back what they are taking. How does the Minister intend to handle the additional debt of Anglo in view of the fact that €4 billion has already been invested? How does the Minister intend to handle the additional debt and...

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (14 Oct 2009)

Seán Barrett: Question 116: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the national spatial strategy is relevant in view of recent population trends; if he will place the strategy or a revised strategy before the Houses of the Oireachtas for approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35916/09]

Defence Forces Property. (8 Oct 2009)

Seán Barrett: Question 10: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of overholders resident in married quarters of the Defence Forces; the rental charged to overholders for the use of the quarters; the average length of time overholders remain in Defence Force quarters following their discharge from the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34751/09]

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Oct 2009)

Seán Barrett: Question 110: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her views on persons travelling to other EU countries to seek employment, in receipt of jobseeker's assistance, who are being penalised for failing to comply with the instructions of social welfare inspectors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34232/09]

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Oct 2009)

Seán Barrett: Question 1197: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 408 of 3 February 2009, and 440 of 31 March 2009, if approval has been given for the construction of a replacement second level school (details supplied) in County Dublin to proceed to tender and construction stages in 2009; if the project architect's sketch design, regarding which he replied...

Order of Business (6 Oct 2009)

Seán Barrett: On a point of order, changing the rota for parliamentary questions affects Deputies with regard to the day on which the questions were supposed to be answered. We should at least be given an explanation as to why the date is being changed. Parliamentary questions are a matter for the House. I ask the Ceann Comhairle to ensure in future that if there is an alteration of the rota, Members...

Departmental Funding. (24 Sep 2009)

Seán Barrett: Question 8: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has received confirmation from the Department of Finance regarding the availability of national development plan funding for projects falling under the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32229/09]

Oireachtas Reform. (23 Sep 2009)

Seán Barrett: Why did we spend money restoring the lawn when we could have been establishing the Oireachtas channel? That is the sort of nonsense that has been going on here since the establishment of the Oireachtas Commission.

Oireachtas Reform. (23 Sep 2009)

Seán Barrett: One does not often get the opportunity to speak on the way in which the workings of this House should be amended or changed. As someone who was a Whip both in Government and in Opposition in the 1980s and 1990s, I have heard much over the years about Dáil reform. I can state honestly, however, that this place is not working any better today than it was 25 years ago when there was no...

Oireachtas Reform. (23 Sep 2009)

Seán Barrett: That is not happening. All the scandals which have happened down through the years were a result of the inability to get proper answers to parliamentary questions. It is a matter of this Parliament keeping a check on the Executive. Is the system we are using for parliamentary questions working? For oral questions, a spokesperson has half an hour, which is all right, and there are 45...

Oireachtas Reform. (23 Sep 2009)

Seán Barrett: I will do so. We can afford to run a commission costing millions of euro. What is the role of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges? That used to be the committee which decided many of these issues.

Oireachtas Reform. (23 Sep 2009)

Seán Barrett: It had a bi-monthly meeting where a group of representatives from all parties could agree on something, and the Clerk of the Dáil would proceed under the chairmanship of the Ceann Comhairle. Issues now go before a commission and unelected people are telling us how to run the Oireachtas. I fully support the work of committees but there are too many of them. These committees were set up to...

Oireachtas Reform. (23 Sep 2009)

Seán Barrett: Is the Minister of State considering that sort of reform? We are currently struggling to get the Lisbon treaty passed. A very interesting poll was carried out by Eurobarometer which showed that only 40% of the Irish people had any idea how the European institutions work. In other words, 60% of people openly admitted they did not have a clue how that system works. I would bet a similar...

Oireachtas Reform. (23 Sep 2009)

Seán Barrett: If I could interrupt the Minister of State, we ask a parliamentary question of the Minister and not the Department. It is up to the Minister to ensure that the quality of the reply is what it should be.

Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2009)

Seán Barrett: The Minister for Finance was to blame.