Results 1-20 of 107 for long speaker:Barry Ward

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed) (24 Apr 2024)

Barry Ward: ...I have raised on a number of occasions in this Chamber is the lack of action by the Government and successive Governments with regard to the victims of thalidomide, who have been waiting a much longer time for real recognition by the State of the situation into which they were put. Now, we have a situation where fewer than 40 survivors remain. More importantly than that, however, their...

Seanad: European Arrest Warrant (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (22 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: ...the person is denied bail here and then surrendered in custody to the issuing authority. I agree entirely with the need for expedition in relation to this matter. These things should not take long. The reality is sometimes they do, in particular when the respondents to the action fight it, essentially and, by extension, delay it for whatever reason. My concern is that the inclusion of...

Seanad: European Arrest Warrant (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (22 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: I wonder if I could make a brief comment. I did not want to interrupt the Acting Chair's reading of the Long Title.

Seanad: Second Anniversary of Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Statements (22 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: ...live among us and have become our friends but contributed in many ways through their work, skills and companionship. We are lucky to have them. I hope we will continue to provide shelter and asylum for them for as long as they need it. Speaking to them locally, most of the people who have come here since the beginning of the conflict want to go home. The reality is the people who have...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (30 Jan 2024)

Barry Ward: ...we have ordinary citizens who give up their time to be part of the process and listen to it. As I said, I currently appear on the Stardust inquests. The jury there is doing an enormous job over a long number of months, with great attention to detail and great capacity to listen to a lot of very complex and lengthy evidence in that regard. Therefore, those people work as well. As I said...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (24 Jan 2024)

Barry Ward: ...that she was not going to accept amendments and then suggesting somehow that that is undemocratic when, in actual fact, it is exactly the way the system works. God knows, the Senator has been here long enough to know that is the case. What I am hearing from this debate is that people are very pleased with the manner in which the Minister has engaged with every side in this debate. That...

Seanad: Human Rights in China: Motion (23 Jan 2024)

Barry Ward: ...trade surplus and have to safeguard our population and economic interests in China, but we must also speak truth to power and make sure that China hears Ireland does not abide by that and that we will not tolerate that in the long term.

Seanad: Local Government Matters and City and County Councillors: Motion [Private Members] (6 Dec 2023)

Barry Ward: ...in Ireland, particularly when we consider that they get shag-all resources – excuse me, I should not have said that. They get very little in the way of resources and they get no administrative support. We know how long it took to even change the pay regime for them. It took years and years of trying in order to change it to reflect the actual level of work they do. Quite in...

Seanad: Recent Violence in Dublin City Centre: Motion (29 Nov 2023)

Barry Ward: ...bear responsibility for their behaviour and they will face the rigours of the law in that regard. In terms of the answers, that is not easy either. One speaker said earlier that this has been ignored for so long but having worked with the Minister on this issue, I know that is patently untrue. Over a year ago, the Minister secured specific budgetary provisions for extra gardaí on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Barry Ward: ...individual garda to appear in cases or, in fact, to lead cases one way or another. I feel they get inadequate training in Templemore. I have been part of that training in the past, although it was a long time ago. I feel that many newer gardaí who are pitched into the District Court are pitched in to the lion’s den very often and additional legal training would be hugely...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Irish Prison Service Bill and of the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill: Discussion (3 Oct 2023)

Barry Ward: ...time to join us. Before I invite the witnesses to make their opening statements, I wish to advise them of the following with regard to parliamentary privilege. Witnesses and members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it...

Seanad: Garda Reserve: Statements (31 May 2023)

Barry Ward: ...unrewarded, albeit that it comes with its own reward. Those people who step up, volunteer, put themselves forward for the Garda Reserve and are willing to walk a beat, lend a hand or be an extension of the long arm of the law, if I can put it in those terms, need to be recognised. The Minister mentioned some of the ways they can be recognised. I have heard both sides of that coin. Some...

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences against the Person (Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023: Second Stage (31 May 2023)

Barry Ward: ...Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023, which is being taken in this Private Members' business slot. It is important to look at the context of assault in this country. Assault has been contemplated in law for as long as there has been law. For hundreds of years, it has been unlawful to assault a person.The law that governed Ireland for a long time was the Offences Against the Person Act 1861,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Courts Service (25 May 2023)

Barry Ward: ...the need for more courtrooms, if I can put it as bluntly as that? We need more rooms in which cases can take place. The wonderful thing about Dublin is that we have many courthouses that are no longer in use. Balbriggan and Swords courthouses, for example, operate on alternate days. Rathfarnham has a courthouse. Not long ago, there was talk of closing Dún Laoghaire courthouse....

Seanad: Courts Bill 2023: Second Stage (10 May 2023)

Barry Ward: ...The same is true of the Central Criminal Court. This is grossly unfair on the people involved in the cases, be they victims, defendants or witnesses. This is something we must address as a matter of urgency. I believe the Bill will go a very long way towards doing so. I welcome the fact the Minister has previously indicated that this is not only about appointing judges but also about...

Seanad: Reykjavik Summit of the Council of Europe: Statements (3 May 2023)

Barry Ward: ...peace talks, which means nothing if they do not recognise the international laws that have been broken, the rights of the Ukrainian state and the borders of the Ukrainian state, which were long-established before Russia, with its avarice, decided it was going to take them. That is where the strength of the Council of Europe comes in. I will conclude with this, which is maybe not directly...

Seanad: Report of the Independent Review Group on Dignity and Equality Issues in the Defence Forces: Statements (25 Apr 2023)

Barry Ward: .... That has to be a starting point because otherwise we are throwing good money after bad. I absolutely agree with what the Department of Defence is doing. In the light of a global insecurity that is closer to home than it has been for a very long time, I am delighted to see this country taking seriously its role in terms of equipping our Defence Forces to do the job we expect them to...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2023)

Barry Ward: ..., even were this pseudo- imbalance to arise in the context of the person who takes over that position, it would be a short-lived thing. That is not likely to arise on a regular basis or for a long time. Returning to what I said on Committee Stage about amendment No. 11, I do not agree with this purported balance that is being creating by the Bill. I do not think it is balance at all....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Coroners Service (29 Mar 2023)

Barry Ward: ...somebody who is grieving in those cases, so it is a difficult job to do. Coroners are also under enormous and increasing pressure, especially in the aftermath of Covid, as we continue, including after long Covid, to have a slight increase in the number of deaths. As regards Dublin in particular, we recently passed legislation in this House that dealt with deputy coroners and provided for...