Results 13,221-13,240 of 27,073 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Order of Business (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I have read the brief and the PESCO arrangement. It is absolutely outrageous. This was not agreed to and there has been no public consultation on it, despite it having a fundamental and damaging impact on Ireland's neutrality. It drags us into massively increased military spending.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Tribunals of Inquiry (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 58. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which he is satisfied that the Charleton tribunal will receive all the documents, memos, emails, letters and other communications relevant to its work (details supplied) in view of recent revelations that his Department withheld certain documents from the tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reviews (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 60. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the measures he is taking to deal with issues in his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51749/17]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Interest Rates (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 139. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to address the high rates of interest on variable mortgages in comparison with the rest of Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51570/17]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Eligibility (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 235. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there are restrictions on a person naturalised through marriage who subsequently divorces and naturalises another person through a second marriage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51544/17]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Releases (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 248. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will extend the remit of services available for guilty prisoners on release to be made available to innocent persons on release in view of the fact that miscarriage of justice cases are not allowed access to post-prison services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51784/17]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Miscarriages of Justice (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 249. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to establish an independent criminal cases review commission similar to that in operation in Norway to examine cases in which prisoners have been exonerated; if he will acknowledge wrongful conviction mistakes and publicly declare innocence on the quashing of a case; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Stroke Care (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 328. To ask the Minister for Health if he plans to increase the number of stroke units; if so, the amount by which funding will be increased; the locations in which funding will be made available in the HSE service plan for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51543/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Stroke Care (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 331. To ask the Minister for Health if he has given consideration to the development of a national stroke strategy with multi-annual funding; if and when preparatory work will be done on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51571/17]

Topical Issue Debate: Homelessness Strategy (30 Nov 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: First, I wish to pass on my deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the two people who died on the streets, but these deaths, the seven in total who have died in recent weeks, and the 30 or 40 that the Taoiseach said who die every year bring shame on politics, the Government and our society. They are not acceptable but they are not necessary. That is the key point. We have...

Topical Issue Debate: Homelessness Strategy (30 Nov 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We should deliver the 250 to 300 Housing First places that the Peter McVerry Trust has asked for. The houses exist and should be identified and made available. Critically, the supports should also be made available. I have a personal friend who I have known since I was 12 years of age who is now homeless again. We had got him onto the Housing First system. He got himself clear of his...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second Stage (30 Nov 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: People are spending €2 billion on private health insurance. Would it not be far better if that money went into the public health system? It would go a hell of a long way towards sorting out the problems in that system. That is in addition to the €2.5 billion to €3 billion, or 18%, they fork out on out-of-pocket charges, such as accident and emergency charges, overnight...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second Stage (30 Nov 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We are passing the legislation without seeing the report. Is that correct?

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second Stage (30 Nov 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That would be useful. I am glad I asked because I do not believe we should pass legislation without either seeing the report on which it is based or being certain that the levies and the distribution of credits are all being passed on. Is it guaranteed that they will all be passed on to where they should be in terms of equalising the cost of insurance and not into the back pockets of...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second Stage (30 Nov 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Private health insurance is a fundamentally parasitical enterprise. It preys on the fears of people about the prospect of being ill and needing care and the inability of the public health system, for which they pay through their taxes, not being able to provide them with that care. This is a shameful enterprise that, week in week out, with wall-to-wall advertising on the radio, plays on...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second Stage (30 Nov 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That is the difference between the Minister and me.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second Stage (30 Nov 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I fundamentally object to the health needs of humans being referred to as a market. Our State has an obligation to provide health care as a matter of human right to our citizens. There is an idea that a market has sprung up because we have been unable to do this, because we have underfunded our health service, inflicted savage cuts on it and slaughtered staff numbers and the budget and,...

Legal Proceedings against Members of Dáil Éireann: Motion (30 Nov 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We do not have much to add-----

Legal Proceedings against Members of Dáil Éireann: Motion (30 Nov 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: -----except to say it appears that there is nothing that gets Members of this Chamber more excited than the issue of seats. They are more excited about it than the issues which concern the people. The matter has been resolved in that the boundary commission will be legislated for next week and the appropriate level of representation proportionate to the size of population will be...

Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Ireland’s participation in two European Defence Agency Projects: Motion (30 Nov 2017)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am absolutely opposed to this further integration of this country into European military industrial complex. It is laughable that the Government and Fianna Fáil can try to justify this as being somehow in our interests to protect us against cyberterrorism.