Results 521-540 of 583 for speaker:Tom Barry

Review of Serious Incidents including Deaths of Children in Care: Statements (17 Nov 2011)

Tom Barry: I thank the Minister for facilitating this debate. This new Government recognises the need to protect and care for children and it has created a specific Department under the competent stewardship of the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald. No death of a child in care is acceptable but such deaths occur. We have to focus on understanding the underlying reasons for such deaths. I was astonished...

Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Nov 2011)

Tom Barry: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this discussion on the Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011. The Bill addresses issues highlighted by the EU-IMF programme and aims for legislative changes to remove restrictions to trade and competition in sheltered sectors. It provides for the elimination of restrictions on general practitioners wishing to obtain...

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2011)

Tom Barry: I welcome the Bill. Competition is highly important in the economy, never more so in the situation in which we find ourselves. Section 2 of the Bill deals with sanctions. While I acknowledge that sanctions are needed, I sound a word of caution with regard to financial penalties that such penalties are more penal today than they were a number of years ago because funds are more difficult...

Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Oct 2011)

Tom Barry: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. It will provide for enhanced powers to the Central Bank of Ireland with regards to supervision of regulated service providers and it will also enhance the powers of the Central Bank in the enforcement of financial services legislation. It is yet another Bill to address an area that has been pinpointed by the IMF as one in need of reform. That...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Tom Barry: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important Bill, which will address the pension shortfall that will arise if this situation is allowed to go unchecked in the next 20 to 30 years. The growing cost of public sector pensions, currently €3 billion a year, is a matter of huge concern which needs to be dealt with immediately. The Irish people want to see reform and real change and,...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (18 Oct 2011)

Tom Barry: Question 572: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm the funding available to complete repairs to Lower Aghada pier, County Cork; and if there is a timescale for the commencement of work. [29980/11]

Common Agricultural Policy Reform Proposals: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Tom Barry: I am glad to speak on these proposals, which are close to my heart. It was good to see the legal proposals on CAP that were published yesterday. Significantly, Ireland will retain its EU allocation almost completely. The EU is committed to maintaining CAP spending at 2013 levels into the future. One small thing that is worth noting is the doubling of funding for research and innovation in...

Sale of State Assets: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Tom Barry: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this matter. I share the passion of the Minister about where we are going. Essentially, we are releasing the value of State assets. So be it. That is the situation we are in. We borrowed a lot of money in this country and, as much as we would like to apply haircuts, it is not always appropriate. I am in business myself, and the only haircut I want...

Written Answers — Agricultural Colleges: Agricultural Colleges (6 Oct 2011)

Tom Barry: Question 17: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide additional resources for agricultural colleges in view of the Agriculture 2020 report and the push to increase production. [27696/11]

Patents (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Oct 2011)

Tom Barry: I will try to give a five star presentation like Deputy Dara Murphy. I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak to the Patents (Amendment) Bill 2011 which will help to reduce the cost to applicants under the patents process. It is important to note that the introduction of the Bill will have no financial implications for the Exchequer. I wish we could say this more often of other...

Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Sep 2011)

Tom Barry: I welcome this opportunity to speak on the Bill. It broadly highlights how Ireland leads the way in animal welfare and in its practical approach to regulation. I congratulate the Minister on his approach. This is a progressive, practical and common sense Bill which brings the experience of those working on the ground to the forefront, with the primary role of ensuring good animal health. I...

Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Sep 2011)

Tom Barry: I wish to share time with Deputy Seán Kyne.

Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Sep 2011)

Tom Barry: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2011. In essence, this Bill must be introduced to finance the insurance compensation fund. We are all aware of the reason for the establishment of the fund, namely, Quinn Insurance is under administration and is in the process of being sold as a going concern. Sufficient reserves will have to be in...

National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Tom Barry: I welcome the Bill which highlights the Government's commitment to the vital tourism sector, and I warmly welcome the extremely encouraging figures in terms of visitor numbers. Our main markets, Britain and the United States, which account for more than 60% of all visitors to Ireland, saw increases of 8% and 15%, respectively, in visitor numbers, and the figures from Europe are also...

National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Tom Barry: It is, as you can see, a Cheann Comhairle. Capital funding should be available to create tourism apps for specific regions, which would be really helpful. This would allow the tourist to custom plan his or her journey. Informing the public of the huge choice available to it is crucial. Tourism is like any business. It must be marketed in an accessible, cost effective and up-to-date...

Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy: Motion (14 Sep 2011)

Tom Barry: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. In order to look forward we must see where we have come from. It is important to realise that area aid was a price support when we took reductions in commodity prices. Those were the days of milk lakes and beef mountains. We are far away from that. Since those MacSharry reform days we have always had a good record of negotiating in...

Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jul 2011)

Tom Barry: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Bill. The JLCs need to be put on a strong constitutional footing. Until this is done, uncertainty will reign, which will be of no benefit to anyone concerned. We have witnessed the death of social partnership, although I have my doubts about whether it was ever a real social partnership. It based its foundations on the notion that money could solve...

Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jul 2011)

Tom Barry: Regarding atypical hours, countries like Spain virtually shut down on Sunday whereas we have become used to our country working throughout Sunday. People should only work all day on Sunday if something critical needs to get done that day. One cannot demand money from a business if doing so will cause that business to fail in the long term. As many Deputies will realise, the countryside has...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Jul 2011)

Tom Barry: Question 39: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the closed school rule as applied under the school transport scheme was, and is, a legally binding contract between the schools and his Department; if an evaluation study has been carried out to see if school transport can be provided more efficiently; the schools that were involved in the value for money review of the scheme and...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (28 Jun 2011)

Tom Barry: Question 81: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current waiting time for processing a passport application. [17513/11]