Results 961-980 of 1,421 for speaker:Barry Ward

Seanad: Support to Ukraine: Motion (30 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo. I support the motion and I am delighted that Fine Gael has brought it forward. With regard to the support we are offering Ukraine, I have to say I am tremendously proud of the response of Ireland and the Government and of our communities and people throughout the country. We have had the generosity and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: Today, the Government announced the auto-enrolment scheme for pensions, which I welcome. Nobody has ever accused pensions of being sexy, but there is the reality in the demographics in Ireland and in the changes in the population that mean that we have to prepare for a pensions crisis that is coming down the road. It is entirely appropriate therefore that the Government would put this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Rehabilitative Opportunities within the Prison System: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I apologise for not being here earlier as I was in the House. I have watched part of the meeting online. I want to touch on what Ms Gavin said. I endorse what she said about prison sentences having nothing to do with what the media think they should be. This is why we have judges sentencing and not the media. The Minister for Justice has made proposals on minimum sentences to be served....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Rehabilitative Opportunities within the Prison System: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I am not sure I understand the point made about why we cannot use open prisons more. Does Ms McCaffrey agree that we should be putting more of the prison population into open prisons and having structured activities within them?

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Quality (23 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber to deal with this issue. It has been ongoing for some time and I have raised it in the House on a number of occasions. A group in my area called SOS Dublin Bay, made up primarily of sea swimmers, is concerned about the quality of water in Dublin Bay and has raised this issue with me on a number of occasions. The group has written to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Quality (23 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I recognise that the Minister of State is here on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and may not be in a position to answer some of the questions I have asked. What the Minister of State has been given by the officials as an answer to this question does not advance the issue one iota. The reality is that there has been a commitment to change the regulations in this State with...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I recognise the Irish Air Corps and congratulate it on its centenary. Brigadier General Rory O’Connor and the more than 700 personnel who work within the Air Corps deserve our recognition for the good work they do. They have a history they can be very much proud of and, in the context of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, a future they can look forward to. To a...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Compensation) Bill 2021: Second Stage (22 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus roimh an mBille chomh maith. Tá a fhios agam nach mbeidh gach aturnae agus gach abhcóide sa Stát sásta leis an mBille ach, ag an am céanna, feicim an fáth go bhfuil sé ann. I understand the relevance of this Bill and the reason it is being introduced. In my profession, I have seen instances in which...

Seanad: Proposal for a Council Decision on Hate Speech and Hate Crime: Motion (10 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I welcome the Minister. I would like to start where she finished because what is really important about this debate that we recognise it is not academic. The reality is that there are people who suffer hugely from the behaviour of others in terms of hate speech and, ultimately, hate crime. I regret to say that I have been involved in a case in the criminal courts involving activities that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Foreign Conflicts (9 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach agus cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Tá an bród orm as an méid atá á dhéanamh ag Rialtas na hÉireann faoi láthair. Is uafásach na heachtraí atá ar siúl san Úcráin. Táimid bródúil as an méid atá á dhéanamh ag an...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Foreign Conflicts (9 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: Ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil an-mhuinín agam de bharr an mhéid atá ráite ag an Aire Stáit. The description of a whole-of-government response is tremendously important. I welcome commitments the Minister of State made to having people in the airports available to meet people as they come off planes because, as has been said already, they will be in a distraught...

Seanad: International Women's Day 2022: Statements (9 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: Níl mé ach chun cúpla focal gairid a rá. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire chuig an díospóireacht ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo. I do not want to speak today because I can match, particularly experientially, any of the comments of my colleagues on this issue, with the possible exception of Senator Warfield. Throughout the horrible issues we have faced...

Seanad: Brain Health and Dementia: Statements (9 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: What we see and have seen in this debate is just how much dementia and Alzheimer's disease affects every family and household in this country.I, for one, do not have a difficulty with talking about it. Every family, including my own, has suffered from it to one degree or another. We all have personal contact with people who ring us to tell us about the problems they are having getting home...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: An Garda Síochána (8 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: This is an issue with which the Acting Chairman is very familiar. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to deal with this matter.He will be aware that in 2012 An Garda Síochána undertook a rationalisation programme, which meant that it looked at whether it needed all its stations throughout the country. As a result of that review, a decision was made to close a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: An Garda Síochána (8 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I am not sure I agree on how comprehensive the reply is, to be honest. Obviously the Department has set out the basis on which these buildings are repurposed and disposed of. It does not account for the glacial pace at which it is done. The people who live in Dalkey and Kill of the Grange are entitled to expect that these significant buildings in their areas, in the case of Dalkey an...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I agree with Senator Malcolm Byrne's call for an invitation to be given to President Zelenskiy to come here to speak to us. That would be an important move of solidarity and in accordance with everything we have said about the crisis, war and invasion to date. Today, I wish to raise water sports and the importance of the State granting supports to it. In Dún Laoghaire we are very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Gambling Regulation Bill: Discussion (8 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I apologise for having been absent for a small part of the meeting due to being in the Seanad. I acknowledge what has been said about the welcoming of regulation generally in this jurisdiction. It is not a surprise to me. Having met many of the companies represented here, I was aware it is the case. How strong that regulation is and how much power and resources the regulator has are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Gambling Regulation Bill: Discussion (8 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I accept what our guests have said in this regard but it is the case the companies themselves conduct research in this area. I am not clear on where our guests draw the line between what they refer to as problem gambling, which I think is a sanitised term, to be honest, and people who face serious gambling addiction issues. In my other life, I represented people who turned to crime because...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medical Aids and Appliances (3 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I thank the Minister of State for attending the Chamber. This is an issue for many people around the country. As he will be aware, hair loss is not an uncommon thing in men and women. It can be caused by a variety of medical conditions, including cancer treatments that result in hair loss, alopecia and so on. Thankfully, the State has in place measures to help the many people who want to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medical Aids and Appliances (3 Mar 2022)

Barry Ward: I appreciate that the Minister of State acknowledged there is inequity of provision on a geographic basis. To my mind, there should not be. We have made progress in respect of alopecia sufferers, who previously had no relief, but it is important people who are suffering from hair loss for whatever reason have the option to obtain a hairpiece or wig that will help them deal with the issues...