Results 1,161-1,180 of 1,427 for speaker:Barry Ward

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Proposed Approval by Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann of EU Regulation 2021/693: Motion (14 Sep 2021)

Barry Ward: It is about time that we opted into this. It is good on pretty much every level. Article 8-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Proposed Approval by Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann of EU Regulation 2021/693: Motion (14 Sep 2021)

Barry Ward: -----and the extent to which there are fairness protections built into the system. We need to build in judicial training aspects for our Judiciary. The report that we produced in our previous session in respect of the experience of victims of sexual offences in the judicial system, judicial training was an important part. Judges need to understand very clearly the impact that certain...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: There has been some discussion about the local property tax, LPT, system and about its flaws. There is no denying that it is a blunt instrument and is flawed. It is not what any one of us would like to put in place but it is part of what I always understood to be a move towards self-financing of local authorities. As somebody who spent 11 years on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: Listening to Senator Gavan, I am obviously sympathetic to anybody who is suffering from defective building materials and many people around the country are in dire situations. In that regard, a scheme is being put in place and that is a debate for another day. Looking at the amendment that is being proposed, however, even if Senator Gavan is serious about addressing this issue and if he...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: I agree with Senator Higgins that it is important to have a progressive tax system. However, progressivity does not mean that those who are paying a certain rate now should necessarily stay at that rate or pay more. I am not saying that is what Senator Higgins was saying. There has been an unfortunate latching on to the notion that people who may have very valuable properties might see a...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second and Subsequent Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: None of us are particularly happy about this legislation, save for the fact it does an important thing. Unfortunately, the Government is faced with Hobson's choice. Something must be done and the consequences of doing that mean certain people are going to be lose out. To say I am very uncomfortable with the discrimination that has been mentioned is an understatement. I do not like it. I...

Seanad: Political Regime in Belarus: Motion (15 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: I move: “That Seanad Éireann: - acknowledges that the Belarusian presidential election in August 2020 was neither fair nor transparent; - rejects the democratic legitimacy of Alexander Lukashenko; - condemns the anti-democratic actions of Alexander Lukashenko; - rejects the show trials that have been conducted against legitimate protesters and opponents of the Lukashenko...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Belarus: Discussion with Ms Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (15 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: I thank the Chair for allowing me to attend. It is wonderful to see Ms Tsikhanouskaya here today. Two things are important about her visit. The first is the profile it gives to the problems in Belarus. I saw an editorial in The Irish Timesyesterday which referred to a Europe of the past regarding what is happening now in Belarus. What is happening there now is the kind of thing we...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: Almost a year ago in August 2020, Belarus held a presidential election that was totally unfair and not transparent, as acknowledged by the European Commission and many international organisations. Viktor Lukashenko kept power after that election notwithstanding that it was widely viewed that he did not and does not have the support of the Belarusian people. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (12 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: I am pleased the Minister of State has come to the House to deal with this matter because it is something she knows a great deal about and she has corresponded with parents in St. Mary's Boys' National School about it. She is welcome to the House and I am delighted that she has taken the time to speak to us. St. Mary's Boys' National School is a national school on Grotto Avenue in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (12 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: I appreciate the work the Minister of State has done on this under her special education brief and acknowledge that she has secured money for the issue. I welcome her statement that this is a priority for the Department. Talks are under way and she stated she hopes there will be a speedy resolution, but today is 12 July and we are one month and a half from the beginning of September.I hope...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (12 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: Actually-----

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Second Stage (9 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I will touch on just a few points. With regard to section 51(1), which I believe was section 48 in the original Bill before being amended in the Dáil, I pay tribute to the Minister of State and the Department. I wrote to the Department and to the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, on this matter. It was initially proposed that local...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: The bike-to-work scheme has been a major success and a number of people have availed of it, allowing them to invest in a bicycle and use it to get to work. We know that cycling is, in many ways, a far superior way of getting around. It can be faster and it does not cause pollution. There are health benefits. However, the scheme operates by alleviating the tax burden for those in...

Seanad: Private Security Services (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (6 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus an Bille freisin. It is a shame this Bill is necessary but we recognise its necessity. I agree with the comments by the Minister of State and Senator Gallagher about the scenes on North Frederick Street and none of us wants to see that. It is important that we regulate the sector as we cannot have a position where people conduct themselves...

Seanad: Private Security Services (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (6 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: I refer to those who opposed the Order of Business and spoke specifically to this matter this morning who are not here.

Seanad: Private Security Services (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (6 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: Yes. I agree it is undesirable that the Bill is to go through in an hour but it is short and has a specific goal. I have some critical comments. The term in section 2 is "enforcement guard". It does not need to be changed and I have not submitted any amendments but the term "guard" can be used as a colloquial reference to members of An Garda Síochána, and it would be unfortunate...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (2 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: I am sorry that we have as little time as we do to debate this Bill, particularly given that we are taking all Stages. There is inadequate time to properly examine it. I am surprised that no amendments were made in the Dáil. However, I praise the Office of the Attorney General and the advisory counsel within that office, who put together their response to this issue as quickly as they...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, line 18, to delete “and” where it secondly occurs and substitute “or”. I will speak on all five amendments together. These are largely technical amendments. Some are more important than others. Amendment No. 1 deals with a provision in the definitions section, section 1 of the Bill. It is to create a list and replace an...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Jul 2021)

Barry Ward: I do not agree with the Minister of State, especially with regard to amendment No. 4, but I accept what he said. If he is satisfied it will not create a problem, I will not press the amendments.