Results 2,501-2,520 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: Vótáil.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister. I have to admit to a prejudice against marketers in universities. They really waste people's time and budgets. They are just spoofers. I am much more interested in the quality of education provided.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: The Minister knows about the marketers' advice on what was supposed to be wrong with the image logo of Trinity College Dublin's on the shield. It was a complete and utter waste of money and I was trying to stop the Department being seduced by this nonsense. Can we get good doctors out of it? I do not care who is engaged in the marketing, except that the cost should be set at about the...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: Amendment No. 9 seeks to clarify the meaning of higher education. In regard to amendment No. 10, when the Bill states "in part provided by the person" we licence, it is important to quantify it. This is an area for charlatans. Some day when I have obtained a licence, I will contract out to a figure of 98% and the licence will hold. I do not think we should give a person with that...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: What we seek is the provision of a programme of higher education and training the majority of it provided by the authorised provider. The Bill states, "in whole or in part". I think "in whole" is desirable but, "in part" could be down in single figures. We should require the majority of it to be so provided by the person whom we are licensing in the legislation. Amendment No. 7 is a...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: Amendment No. 9 proposes to ensure that there is a reference to higher education. Amendment No. 10 is the final amendment in this section. I will state our proposals more succinctly. Amendment No. 2 proposes a definition of higher education; amendment No. 6 proposes to concentrate on the provision of a programme of education and training and to leave out the reference to marketing and...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: Yes. I was waiting to get to amendment No. 8. In that spirit I will withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 2: In page 3, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following:“ “higher education” is defined as education and training provided by a higher education institution at levels 8, 9 and 10 of the National Qualifications Framework;”.I thank the Cathaoirleach for that lengthy list of instructions with which to comply. Amendment No. 2 seeks to...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister and wish her well again. We will have to revisit this, as there is agreement on both sides that a person could not provide university services. The Minister has said she will deal with it later. Perhaps on Report Stage the reference to "person" will be removed, in whatever formula the Minister has in mind. It is impossible for a person to provide the services of a...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: Perhaps after we have gone through the other sections where the Minister addresses the issue of "person" we will see if there is something in comments between us. It is accepted that it would not be a person but an institution. We will put it on hold in accordance with the Minister's wish.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, to delete lines 14 and 15 and substitute the following:" "education provider" means for the purposes of this legislation an educational institution in the State which provides a programme of education and training at levels 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the National Qualifications Framework;".I welcome Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, and I...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: King's College London is ranked No. 16. Also listed is the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Therefore, I am somewhat sceptical about the fixation with titles, although not to the extent of opposing the proposal. As the Minister was queried about in her interview, TCD had a rather strange fixation with titles during the year. My starting point would be that the Royal...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I hope the House will join the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, Deputy English, in congratulating the three students from Kinsale Community School - Ciara Judge, Emer Hickey and Sophie Healy-Thow - who won the top award at the Google Science Fair in California. Their project was examined the use of natural bacteria to improve crop yields by 50% in wheat and 74% in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Dublin Bus: Chairman Designate (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome Mr. Courtney. As Senator Mooney said, it is ideal that someone who has been a conductor and a driver and took courses in transport economics is appointed to the role. In the lectures I gave I referred to the fact that if we can get things right a bus lane can, as someone said earlier, move large numbers of people very quickly without the kind of capital investment required by...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I know of the enthusiasm the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, has brought to this area. Our briefing note tells us that overall, the Bill has been cautiously welcomed by stakeholders and commentators. The spirit of the Bill is very welcome. In his speech the Minister referred to seven extensions but the Bill refers to...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: The Taoiseach will today address the OECD report published this week on base erosion through profit shifting, BEPS, and corporate tax. A Government press release indicates the Taoiseach will defend the 12.5% corporation tax rate, which is very valuable to the country. I support his position in that regard and his view that Ireland is not a brass plate location. However, the important part...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Leader for organising the debate on Gaza during the recess. It was very well received. Justine McCarthy said in The Sunday Timesthat sitting beneath the Chamber's Wedgwood blue carved ceiling listening to some of the finest oratory ever to reverberate there, one could only feel grateful to the Irish people for saving the Seanad from extinction.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: That was a commendable initiative by the officers of the House. Could I also express sympathy to Eileen Paisley and Kathleen Reynolds on the loss of their husbands - two stalwarts of the peace process? We remember Albert Reynolds warmly in my constituency. He received us all in 1992 when it was the 400th anniversary of TCD. He and his family were most kind to us in Dublin Castle at a...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: People no longer kill each other for political reasons on this island and that is the debt we have to Mr. Paisley. Could I also draw the attention of the House to the statement today that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has written to the airport authorities in favour in increasing their charges. You might recall, a Chathaoirligh, that increases took place under the previous...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: The airport is handling 3.5 million fewer passengers than in 2007. A new terminal was built to handle 15 million passengers. The DAA wants €30 million for a runway and €38 million for seating capacity at terminal 1. The airport needs passengers. The Government helped the DAA by abolishing the travel tax. It looks like the airport authorities have yet again achieved...