Results 24,321-24,340 of 24,382 for speaker:Seán Barrett

Establishment of Committees (11 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: The success or otherwise of this debate will depend on whether the Minister of State and the Government as a whole are prepared to recognise that the time has come for a clear separation of powers between the Executive and this Chamber. Their terms of reference immediately indicate the thinking behind the formation of committees. There is a fear on the part of Government of losing control....

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (10 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: Question 121: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason for his decision to withdraw without notice funding for the local authority playground grant scheme which provided for €120,000 grant aid per local authority for the construction of playgrounds; his views on whether many playground projects countrywide which had matching funding in place in...

Charities Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: I join with others in congratulating the Minister of State on his appointment and wishing him every success. If somebody has to be in government, I am delighted that he is one of those people because he has shown commitment as an ordinary backbencher and chairperson of an Oireachtas committee. I welcome the purpose of this Bill, which is to enact a reform of the law relating to charities...

Charities Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: It does not increase the cost to the Exchequer. What we are doing here is crazy. It would be far better to give the money the Minister of State is spending on setting up this regulatory authority to charities and let the Minister of State, the civil servants beside him and others in his Department deal with this issue. I am a member of the Lions Club, which organises a Christmas collection...

Social and Affordable Housing. (10 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: Dún Laoghaire and the constituency of the Minister, Deputy Gormley, and Deputy Chris Andrews do not have any houses or land. There is a long waiting list for the few affordable houses available. Local authorities are the housing authorities but they cannot perform their function because there is no land on which to build houses. The only way of dealing with that is to consider...

Social and Affordable Housing. (10 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: Will the Minister of State consider how we will deal with the problem as it relates to areas such as Dún Laoghaire and the constituencies of Dublin South-East and Dublin South which do not have land? If one is unfortunate enough to have been born in one of these areas one moves lock, stock and barrel to Counties Meath or Cavan and commutes, which leads to other problems on a daily basis.

Social and Affordable Housing. (10 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: I apologise.

Social and Affordable Housing. (10 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: The Minister of State missed the point. It is a planning contradiction.

Appointments to State Boards. (10 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: The Taoiseach in his reply mentioned that because of recent legislation it is becoming more difficult to find good people to serve on State boards. Is he suggesting that the legislation should be changed. Surely it is most important to find well qualified, good people to serve on boards and if this is being prevented by something in the legislation does he propose a change in the legislation?

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (9 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: Question 187: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will postpone further development of the COSC Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence to address the serious concerns of the Irish Violence against Women non-governmental sector in relation to COSC's limited remit; if it is proposed to address all forms of violence against women in an integrated and cohesive...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (9 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: Question 239: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number employed in her Department; the amount expended on their salaries and its percentage of overall Departmental spending from a value for money perspective; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22357/07]

Proposed EU Military Operation: Motion (9 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: I, too, congratulate Major General Patrick Nash on his appointment to the position of operations commander for the proposed EU operation in the Republic of Chad and the Central African Republic. Much has been said about the great honour his appointment represents to Ireland and the Defence Forces. I have had the pleasure of dealing with the Defence Forces and noted that they are at no time...

Proposed EU Military Operation: Motion (9 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: ——know at first hand that the role of peacekeeper is a very difficult one. It is not about going in with all guns blazing, it is a question of making contact and gaining the confidence of the people who need to be supported. The Irish are the best in the world in this regard because we have this unique skill. I hope that skill will be used when our troops go to Chad and the Central...

Proposed EU Military Operation: Motion (9 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: Is there a connection between Limerick and Tallaght?

Order of Business (9 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: We need the support of the Garda Representative Association to achieve this.

Strategic Management Initiative. (9 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: It is the same with the voting machines.

Strategic Management Initiative. (9 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: A total of €15 million down the swanny.

Strategic Management Initiative. (9 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: The Taoiseach rightly said that the customer deserves a service. Will he agree that where the State imposes an obligation on the public, such as NCT testing, a service provided on behalf of the State as a result of legislation passed in this Parliament, the customer should be facilitated? Is he aware that in some testing stations, at present, where previously car owners were sent a date and...

Tackling Crime: Statements (Resumed) (3 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: On a point of order, I believe that Deputy Peter Power has ten minutes to speak, but that is somewhat pointless if it means we are to revert to another speaker with only a minute left. Does the Acting Chairman see my point?

Tackling Crime: Statements (Resumed) (3 Oct 2007)

Seán Barrett: I wish to share time with my colleague, Deputy Olivia Mitchell.