Results 2,761-2,780 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: Higher Education and Research (Consolidation and Improvement) Bill 2014: Second Stage (2 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: Tuesday.

Seanad: Higher Education and Research (Consolidation and Improvement) Bill 2014: Second Stage (2 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank everybody here for their kind, informed and generous responses. As the Minister of State has said, this is the start of something which is very much needed post-troika Ireland; this matter is one of the key things that we must address. Today's debate follows a great tradition. I recall that Edmund Burke, a politician in the UK Parliament, worked so hard to keep what he called...

Seanad: Higher Education and Research (Consolidation and Improvement) Bill 2014: Second Stage (2 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Higher Education and Research (Consolidation and Improvement) Bill 2014: Second Stage (2 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, Deputy Ciarán Cannon. Unfortunately, the last time we were seated together was at the funeral of former Deputy Nicky McFadden in Athlone last week. It is a pleasure to welcome the Minister of State and thank those who helped in preparing this Bill, including Dr. Charles Clarke, Ms Ursula Ní Choill, the staff of the Bills Office, the...

Seanad: Food Provenance Bill 2013: Leave to Withdraw (2 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, leave be given to withdraw the Food Provenance Bill 2013.Senator Feargal Quinn is the author of this motion. He wishes to conduct more research and may resubmit the Bill at a later stage.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: On behalf of Senator Feargal Quinn, I request that No. 27, Food Provenance Bill 2013, be removed from the Order Paper. The Senator is engaging in further research and may resubmit the Bill. He would appreciate it if the Leader could arrange to remove the Bill from the Order Paper.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: I apologise. I refer to the need for a debate on policing and An Garda Síochána in the light of events including the Morris report, the Smithwick report which we did not have a chance to debate, the success of the new arrangements in Northern Ireland, the resignation of the Garda Commissioner and the welcome resumption of recruitment at the Garda College in Templemore. I ask...

Seanad: Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: Social thought and studies about imprisonment in Ireland, and the damage it does to people, show that imprisoning people who have trouble paying a television licence, for example, is an extremely expensive and disruptive way of dealing with matters. I liked the Minister of State's emphasis on the attachment of earnings and deductions from social welfare payments. I am concerned about the...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (1 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: There is an item that we are not taking tomorrow. The Order of Business for tomorrow had to be changed because amendments from the Department of Health on the smoking in cars legislation are not ready. Therefore, we do have a slot if there is willingness on the Government side to take Report Stage of the fines legislation tomorrow. This would allow us to consider these matters overnight...

Seanad: Higher Education and Research (Consolidation and Improvement) Bill 2014: First Stage (1 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to consolidate the Irish higher education and research sector so as to ensure a more efficient, responsible and effective structure for delivering quality education, research and knowledge resources to the Irish people.I thank the Leader for agreeing to this. I request that leave be granted to introduce a Bill to provide for...

Seanad: Higher Education and Research (Consolidation and Improvement) Bill 2014: First Stage (1 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: At 3 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, 2 April.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Cathaoirleach for his guidance. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that No. 11 be taken today.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2014)

Sean Barrett: I echo the sympathies expressed to the McAughtry and Kelly families and, in their time of sadness, thank the McFadden family and the people of Athlone for receiving so many Members of the Oireachtas last week. I compliment the Government on today being the first day of the abolition of the travel tax. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, and the Minister of State...

Seanad: Renewable Energy: Motion (12 Mar 2014)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O’Dowd. Looking at the Government’s amendment first, if I may, the second last paragraph states that the Government "welcomes the imminent publication of a Green Paper on Energy Policy that will, inter alia, further develop and build out a comprehensive and progressive suite of policies that clearly state how our renewable energy targets...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2014)

Sean Barrett: To add to what Senator Colm Burke has said, it was also designed with the intention of reducing the number of women entering medical school - another shameful aspect.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2014)

Sean Barrett: I note Senator Susan O'Keeffe's comments on penalty points. Will the Minister for Justice and Equality come to the House to debate the material that is coming to light, including the report that will be published later and the work of the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Garda Inspectorate? The problem the House highlighted, with which the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport...

Seanad: General Scheme of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Statements (11 Mar 2014)

Sean Barrett: Candidate A, who is well known, is nominated and when this person wins it is handed over as a gift to candidate X of whom nobody has ever heard.

Seanad: General Scheme of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Statements (11 Mar 2014)

Sean Barrett: This will be introduced in the Seanad and it is appalling. It is the worst aspect of the abuse of democracy in European elections. The general scheme proposes to extend this malpractice and abuse to this House. It really is a disgrace. Why does the Government have no ideas on reforming the Taoiseach's 11 nominees, the local authorities' 43 seats or the fact Independent Senators are...

Seanad: General Scheme of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Statements (11 Mar 2014)

Sean Barrett: For what did the people vote? We are entitled to make this speech because the Government side lost out. I am delighted to make the winning captain's speech, unlike the Taoiseach using Croke Park analogies in his. We found young people are totally alienated from the political party system because it is run more rigidly than anything by Mr. Stalin or any other enforcers of the party Whip...

Seanad: General Scheme of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Statements (11 Mar 2014)

Sean Barrett: Some of them were thinking of going to the courts to rebuke the Government on this. The leader of Fianna Fáil, Deputy Micheál Martin, asked me on the day of the count in Dublin Castle how on earth the "No" people won Donegal. It was because our supporters in Northern Ireland got their friends, hotels, grocery shops and the man who gives one a bag of potatoes over the hedge when...