Results 3,281-3,300 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: The Taoiseach has decided that he does not want us anymore. That makes it personal, unless, of course, the Minister of State wants to convince me that it was the previous incarnations of the Seanad that were at fault and that all our difficulties were caused by Mary Robinson, Owen Sheehy Skeffington, Trevor West, W. B. Yeats, Garrett FitzGerald, Sir Horace Plunkett, Jim Dooge and others.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: Yes. What is being done is highly personal in the context of the way in which it has been directed at the Members of the current Seanad. In my opinion, the current crop of Senators are 60 of the finest people one could meet. A total of 42 of them are new to the House and they should not be blamed for whatever misdemeanours those in government believe occurred in the past. The Minister of...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: Dr. Quinn also states: Ironically, among the instructions that the Castle had received from London was that the Union should not be a means of introducing any radical measure of parliamentary reform. Yet, carrying the Act of Union itself was a step of breathtaking radicalism. During the debates on the reform of the Irish Parliament in 1797, one member summed up the mood of the Commons when...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: -----demolishing a House of Parliament. I hope the Minister of State is ashamed and that he sees the parallels.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: We never got anything similar to that which was afforded to Grattan's Parliament.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: I have done so and I can read more quotations from it into the record. The Minister of State need not worry on that score.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: Earlier today, Senator Mullen quoted the German Protestant pastor Martin Niemöller who was imprisoned by the Nazis. He gave us some parallels. This Government came first for the Údarás. It does not matter because we are not Gaelic speakers. Let it abolish the Údarás-elected people. Then it came for councillors. We are not councillors. Who cares about that? Let...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: Shame.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: That is shameful.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: Hear, hear.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: As today.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: The Government is preparing important whistleblower legislation. We should also include in it provision for non-whistleblowers. Perhaps they should be called whistle inhalers or whistle swallowers. At the weekend, a major figure in one of the banks said he knew the tapes existed but said nothing because no one asked him. That opting out should not be allowed in the new legislation. In...

Seanad: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (9 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister of State and thank Senators for their contributions. I am learning a great deal, as always, on housing from people such as Senators Aideen Hayden, Senator John Crown and Senator Marc MacSharry. The problem was that in a period when incomes doubled, the price of houses increased by 500%. Nobody partied, so far as I can see, except banks. As Senator John Crown said,...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the success of the incorporation of the Orange Order march in Donegal last Saturday into The Gathering and the success of the event. The Grand Master of the Orange Lodge of Ireland, Edward Stevenson, told the crowd it was "extremely pleasing" the authorities in the Republic had incorporated the Rossnowlagh event into The Gathering. I gather it is the first time it has happened and...

Seanad: Promoting a Sustainable Future for the Post Office Network: Statements (4 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister to the House. He is well known for his wisdom and his wit although I do not know whether this topic will lend itself to that. Great credit is due to the post office, as the Minister said, for the way in which it has transformed in light of the very strong decline in mail volumes. I note An Post made €2.2 million profit in 2011 and it has reduced its staff by...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: I note that in the Financial Times today there is an article by the associate editor, Mr. John Gapper, which states: This week brought two announcements that strike at the distortions caused to banking by cheap credit and the underpricing of risk over past decades. One was the US Federal Reserve's decision to implement the Basel III capital rules, and to add extra measures. The other was...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: I will bear that in mind. I am commending the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Hayes, and the Leader. This will have unintended consequences. The Bill, if implemented, will do the exact opposite to what the Senator said and it was suggested the European Union would not like it. The European Union is our competitor in this business. It gave us daft rules on the insuring of women in driving...

Seanad: Food Provenance Bill 2013: Second Stage (3 Jul 2013)

Sean Barrett: I echo the warm words of welcome to the Minister of State. I served with him when he was Chairman of one of the committees of the Houses. I am sure he will do very well in his new role. His predecessor, the late Shane McEntee, was hugely popular everywhere, including in this House. The Bill which I commend to the House is also welcome. It goes without saying Senator Feargal Quinn knows...