Results 2,941-2,960 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 50: In page 18, line 3, after "Commission" to insert "and the National Consumer Agency".

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister of State. In the case I mentioned, there were two directives. One was to build the new terminal and the other was to raise the money to finance it. The concern is where a Minister gives a directive that is not economically sound, as in the airport case, given we now have a new terminal and 8 million fewer passengers going through Irish airports. That had to be...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: When we reported progress I was speaking on this section. I was addressing the issue of the directions of the Minister when I ran out of time. The Bill reads in section 20: (1) The Minister may give a direction in writing to Irish Water, in relation to the performance by Irish Water of its functions under this Act, requiring it to comply with such policies of the Government as are specified...

Seanad: Pyrite Resolution Bill 2013: Second Stage (16 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I again welcome the Minister. I commend him on the Bill. At this time of year we remember the late former Minister of State, Shane McEntee. I also commend Senator Darragh O'Brien and others who have worked on this problem. I have all the reservations Senator Hayden has just expressed. There is a repeated trail of people coming into this House visiting their failures on taxpayers and on...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (16 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister to the House. I share the concern of some people that this legislation weakens democracy and strengthens bureaucracy, which is something we should always look out for. Despite the transfer of many functions from local government, including the transfer of roads to the National Roads Authority, the transfer of water to Irish Water, the transfer of higher education...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I note that we were not able to cover more than one fifth of the Finance Bill last week. While I accept that is how it happened, I suggest that we go through the important items in the new year. People on this side of the House wanted to have an input into the budget. For instance, section 42 extends capital gains tax relief for properties from the 2011-13 period to 2014. This seems like...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister as always. He has the hardest job in public life and Senator John Crown and I try to help him in any way we can. However, Senator John Crown is away. We strongly support the Minister's efforts to counteract tobacco use and wish him well in that regard. The G8 chose dementia as its topic of consultation and perhaps we might have a debate on it in the new year....

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 39: In page 14, line 17, to delete “Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources” and substitute “National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority”.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: Section 20 states: (1) The Minister may give a direction in writing to Irish Water, in relation to the performance by Irish Water of its functions under this Act, requiring it to comply with such policies of the Government as are specified in the direction. (2) The Minister may, by direction in writing, amend or revoke a direction under this section (including a direction under this...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I support Senator Ó Domhnaill's amendment. The ability to pay should be taken into account and is taken into account in the billions of euro of tax money that goes from households into the system. People have a tax free allowance and there was a 20% rate charged on medium incomes and a top rate. The principle enunciated by Senator Ó Domhnaill is a good one. People know there is...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I support section 8 and did so on the night of the budget. This is a subsidy which members of the Houses of the Oireachtas intended to be for sick people but it has been transformed into a provider subsidy, as the Minister has just described. I fear that the same thing has happened with pension subsidies. It is the industry which benefits and not the consumer, the intended beneficiary....

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: -----ends up on the desk of the Minister for Finance. Next year the section might need to be even stronger.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I would like to explain recommendation No. 5. The explanatory memorandum states: "To qualify for this credit, the relevant child must reside with the claimant for the whole or greater part of the year of assessment". One hundred days does not equate to the whole or greater part of the year of assessment. This is why I included 183 days in the recommendation. I do not know why that was...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I note what the Minister said in his earlier helpful replies. There is a cost and it could be substantial. He is taking steps to control costs. The scheme will end in two years, which I welcome. It could be expensive and the problem with such tax expenditures is one does not know how much they will cost. If it was more explicit, we would know the cost in advance and could try to estimate...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, on the start of a happy weekend for him as he escapes the clutches of the troika and company. I was seeking to limit a fiscal privilege in the agriculture sector. As the explanatory memorandum states, the changes will not apply to a loan where a farming partnership is involved. Tax concessions in the agriculture sector manifest in...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the establishment of the National Data Analytic Centre which will be announced later today by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton. It is the combined effort of four universities, namely, Dublin City University, National University of Ireland, Galway, University College Cork and University College Dublin - to carry out statistical research in a...

Seanad: Critical Utilities (Security of Supply) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister. It is an honour to support Senator Feargal Quinn’s Bill. Last night the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government indicated we consumed 145 litres of water per person per day. Some 82% of this water is for drinking, sanitation and the washing of dishes, etc. One can imagine that a cessation of the supply of water...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Sean Barrett: Hear, hear.