Results 121-140 of 24,382 for speaker:Seán Barrett

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 May 2018)

Seán Barrett: However, my comments are all tied into the amendments we will face. Therefore, I feel I am within the rules - to some degree in any event - of being able to make these points. I would just like to have them on the record of this House before I leave and to issue a warning. This is purely a personal opinion, with which people may disagree, but this business of for ever passing on...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Roadworthiness Testing (22 May 2018)

Seán Barrett: 509. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps being taken to ensure that imported vehicles (details supplied) are complying with standards to ensure their roadworthiness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22451/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Licensing (16 May 2018)

Seán Barrett: 138. To ask the Minister for Health the reason patients with multiple sclerosis have to wait an average of 348 days for a treatment drug to be approved for public funding and in some cases even longer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21569/18]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Syrian Conflict: Irish Syria Solidarity Movement (10 May 2018)

Seán Barrett: I find this most frustrating. When I was Minister for Defence I visited troops in Lebanon and went to Syria to try to keep in contact with the regime because our troops were under fire from rogues who came from Syria. That was over 20 years ago. I find this a most frustrating problem because nobody seems to know exactly what the likes of us, as politicians in Ireland, can do at a practical...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (10 May 2018)

Seán Barrett: How does Mr. Barghouti's organisation deal with the Israeli problem? As an outsider looking in, Israel has from time to time changed its style of leadership. I would have thought that the present regime would be the least favourable towards the Palestinian situation. That is an outsider's view looking in. At the end of the day, there is no solution to this problem unless we get a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (10 May 2018)

Seán Barrett: Thank you, Mr. Barghouti. On behalf of the joint committee, I thank you for your comprehensive presentation and for dealing with our questions. It is an interesting opportunity for us to meet people like yourself. We may not always agree on the pros and cons but I believe we share a common interest, that is, to seek peace for the Palestinian people, to seek proper respect for their rights...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Defence and Related Matters (26 Apr 2018)

Seán Barrett: I am sorry for arriving a little late. The ball game has changed for us in terms of the role and activities of our Defence Forces because of Britain's proposed withdrawal from the EU. Brexit will leave a big gap in terms of protecting our fisheries rights and many other aspects. I wish to mention the role played by our Naval Service in particular. I would like the Minister of State,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Defence and Related Matters (26 Apr 2018)

Seán Barrett: I am sorry to interrupt but my point is that while all this talk might be going on behind the scenes we as public representatives have not been engaged on the consequences that are going to happen once the bell rings. The bell is going to ring very shortly, it would appear, and we do not want to be found with our trousers down at our ankles. There is at least a year's planning in all of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Defence and Related Matters (26 Apr 2018)

Seán Barrett: I am not saying that; I am saying that we are being ignored. We have not had a chance to have an input.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Defence and Related Matters (26 Apr 2018)

Seán Barrett: There is extreme concern. I do not know whether I am at odds with myself on this issue. One hears about discussions on the future of Europe, but it is senior members of the Commission who are talking about and forcing this agenda. They are non-elected members; they are appointed officials, yet they seem to be the ones who are driving this change. I would like to know where is the Council...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (25 Apr 2018)

Seán Barrett: 120. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that MRI scans are not available to persons presenting through accident and emergency departments with joint injury in circumstances in which a consultant cannot give a definitive medical diagnosis using X-rays alone; his views on whether it is acceptable that many persons will have to wait between 12 and 18...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (24 Apr 2018)

Seán Barrett: 373. To ask the Minister for Health the status of services for venesection for persons with haemochromatosis; if the issue of the €80 fee that these persons must pay when they attend outpatient departments is being considered in the context of the overall general practitioner contract review process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17575/18]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Parliament of Georgia Foreign Relations Committee (29 Mar 2018)

Seán Barrett: I am the only member here who is from a Government party at the moment. I am not saying that I am speaking on behalf of the Government, only that this is who I am. I compliment the representative in Ireland. Mr. Zurabashvili is a most active diplomat who is constantly in and out of the Houses and is known to everybody. He is certainly an excellent representative for the Georgian...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report on Persecution of Christians in India: Church in Chains (29 Mar 2018)

Seán Barrett: There is some conflict about the number. How many Christians are there in India? One paper says-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report on Persecution of Christians in India: Church in Chains (29 Mar 2018)

Seán Barrett: What is the official number of Christians?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report on Persecution of Christians in India: Church in Chains (29 Mar 2018)

Seán Barrett: I apologise for interrupting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report on Persecution of Christians in India: Church in Chains (29 Mar 2018)

Seán Barrett: I am surprised by these remarks. I certainly was not aware of any of this. Some time ago, when I was a Minister, I visited India and I met the chiefs of staff of the defence forces, all of whom were non-Christian but educated by Irish Christian Brothers. The chiefs of staff had the height of respect for the Irish Christian Brothers. There was no hint of antagonism but, admittedly, that is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report on Persecution of Christians in India: Church in Chains (29 Mar 2018)

Seán Barrett: Did that coincide with the change in Government?

An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2018)

Seán Barrett: I am glad to have these few moments to set out my views. I have been contacted on many occasions in the past few weeks by members of the media wanting to know what my views were with respect to the legislation we are now debating but I have refused to tell them until I expressed them here in the Chamber. It is a long time ago - in fact, it is 35 years ago - that I was the Chief Whip of the...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Army Pensions (Revised) (8 Mar 2018)

Seán Barrett: Yes. I fail to see why the cost of pensions is included in an Estimate, whether it is Army pensions or any other pensions. Surely, we should have an overall costing for pensions full stop. This has really nothing to do with the Department of Defence once the person has retired. It seems strange that we include it an overall Estimate for the Department because, if there are reductions or...