Results 3,461-3,480 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Forthcoming ECOFIN Council: Discussion with Minister for Finance (8 May 2013)

Sean Barrett: What about the transaction tax?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Forthcoming ECOFIN Council: Discussion with Minister for Finance (8 May 2013)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn (8 May 2013)

Sean Barrett: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Coimisinéir. I thank her for her words of wisdom and for drawing attention to the fact the University Senators should be especially interested and grateful for the work she has done under the seventh framework. Some are in the Gallery, including Professor Cliona O'Farrelly from the Trinity College biochemistry department. She is interested in immunology...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 May 2013)

Sean Barrett: I echo what Senators Moran and Hayden said. Are there pressures on girls in school not to display academic ability? Is it unfashionable or otherwise? If so, that would be a serious loss of ability and talent. Last week, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, published a report on easing the transition from second level to third level, which might form the basis on which we...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Marian Harkin, MEP (2 May 2013)

Sean Barrett: It is very nice to echo Senator Kelly's statement. All accolades are delivered in Ms Harkin's direction. She has so much energy she could light up a good part of the national grid; we would not need any wind turbines then. I thank Ms Harkin for that. We have a problem with European legislation, and legislation in general. As Senator MacSharry said, we have a system which is very...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 May 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the statement by President Higgins in the Financial Times today that there should be a rethink of the way European Union leaders are handling the economic crisis. He says there is a need for pluralism of approaches and, in particular, a separation of banking and sovereign debt. That is the purpose of our Bill, No. 34 on the Order Paper. I met the Minister of State, Deputy Brian...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Stability Programme Update: Discussion with Minister for Finance (30 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister. With regard to the table on page 22, the increase in taxation over the period was from €36.6 billion to €44.9 billion, which is €8.3 billion. The reduction in current expenditure is hardly anything - I believe it is about 4%. I know the media presents Deputy Noonan as a cutting Minister for Finance but in fact he is a tax increasing Minister for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Stability Programme Update: Discussion with Minister for Finance (30 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: With regard to the €300 million that is causing trouble for the Minister, Deputy Howlin, it is 0.6% of €51.5 billion of net current expenditure. Could the Minister for Finance issue an edict to all managers of public expenditure to cut 0.6% rather than have to fall out with all his trade union friends, the social partners, gardaí, teachers and so on?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Stability Programme Update: Discussion with Minister for Finance (30 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister. The clock has run out on us.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Seán Kelly, MEP (30 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: Cuirim fáilte mór roimh Seán, sár iar-uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael. Bhí brú mór ann don phróiseas síochána nuair a thoghadh Seán mar uachtarán ar Chumann Lúthchleas Gael. Bhí sé an-fhoighneach agus cneasta in aghaidh gach a bhí ina choinne an t-am sin. Níl aon dabht againn anois ach go raibh...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Seán Kelly, MEP (30 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: Go raibh maith agat.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: I want to mention the article in The Sunday Business Post which claimed the Department of Health opted for a dearer insurance levy. It states that the Department of Health increased the amount decided by the Health Insurance Authority as an appropriate compensation for the treatment of old people by 53% over what the referee had recommended, resulting in an increase from €190 to...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome No. 32 on the Order Paper, the Financial Stability and Reform Bill, which was discussed in the House yesterday. I thank Senators Hayden and Sheahan on the Government side and Senators Byrne, Quinn and O'Brien on the Opposition side, for their contributions to that discussion. I would also like to thank the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Hayes, who turned...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: We need to reform banking, to increase the capital of the banks, to move to equity and to separate utility banking from casinos. This is happening in the United States of America and the United Kingdom and I request the Leader to ask the Tánaiste to supply, through our diplomats in those countries, information on what is going on in terms of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform and the...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: We must supervise the banking sector properly. I urge the Leader to apply pressure in this regard. We want the Bill, the Minister of State wants the Bill, so let us enact legislation quickly.

Seanad: Financial Stability and Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (24 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: I sincerely thank the Members of this House. I am so proud to be with them as we address these really serious problems. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, who has responsibility for small and medium-sized enterprises. The Bill attempts to right-size, as it were, the banking sector, which had got too big; remove hidden subsidy to the banks - I am sure the Minister of State will...

Seanad: Financial Stability and Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (24 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, to the House. Two years ago on Monday the Members of the House were elected and, like the Minister of State who had been elected some weeks before, we knew we had to face the problem of the public finances and the banking sector. These two issues have exercised most of our waking hours since...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: I join everyone who has praised the Seanad Éireann transition year student challenge which we had this morning. It was a splendid occasion and credit is due to everyone associated with its organisation. One discordant note was communicated to the Minister for Education and Science by the heads of Irish universities. If I got the quote correctly, it was that young people arrive in...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: They are the solution. They were splendid this morning, as you know, a Chathaoirligh. I will vote in favour of allowing 16 year olds to vote if the people we had in this morning are representative of young people in this country. Empire builders and public relations people in universities and IBEC do not seem to think when they make disparaging and snide remarks about the standard of young...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Apr 2013)

Sean Barrett: I welcome the Minister. We always have great debates when he comes to this House. There may be some useful points on minimum pricing. I accept what Senators Norris and Crown have said. Minimum pricing enriches the people doing the minimum pricing. I understand the Minister for Finance, the Minister of State with responsibility for public service reform and the OPW and the Minister for...