Results 13,021-13,040 of 13,224 for speaker:Pat Gallagher

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (16 Jun 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I will deal with the amendments and then confirm the position regarding domestic water charges. The common thread running through these amendments is that they propose to introduce provisions relating to water charges in the Bill. This is not appropriate or necessary. The Water Services Bill is designed primarily to regulate the delivery and supervision of water services and to enable...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (16 Jun 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I have reviewed this section with my officials and I agree the proposed amendment adds clarity to the intention of the section. Therefore, I am happy to accept it. On the further question raised by Senator Bannon, I state unambiguously that the Government's position on water charges has not been changed by this Bill. The Bill makes no provision whatsoever for water charges. The Local...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (16 Jun 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I confirm that and state emphatically and unambiguously that this is not part of the Government's or the Minister's agenda. A review of all aspects of local government funding is currently under way and I do not intend to tie the hands of those who are carrying it out. It would not be appropriate for me to engage in speculation on the outcome of the review. There is no point in ordering a...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (16 Jun 2004)

Pat Gallagher: This amendment deals with section 6 of the Bill, which enables the Minister, the Water Services Authority or other person prescribed for the purpose of his functions under this Bill to serve notice on specified persons requiring them to provide information. The amendment to section 6(1) is necessary to ensure the obligations to provide information apply equally to all, not just water service...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (16 Jun 2004)

Pat Gallagher: The purpose of this amendment is to enable regulations to be made dealing with the provision of information under the Bill by electronic means. For example, in the matter of licensing applications or appeals, data on monitoring or strategic water services plans, it will enable procedures under the Act to be kept abreast of ongoing developments in technology. The detailed provisions are based...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (16 Jun 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I will deal with the substantive amendment to section 49 under amendment No. 87 first. Amendment No. 87 replaces the existing section 49 and expands the scope of its application to include service connections in addition to waterworks and waste waterworks as before. In addition, for the avoidance of doubt, the obligation on third parties to provide relevant information to the water services...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (16 Jun 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I cannot agree with Senator Bannon. We have all dealt with group water schemes in our time. However, I am referring to large schemes. If the final plans are submitted within six months of the completion of the works we will have made tremendous progress. The problems to which Senator Bannon referred do not necessarily emerge for a considerable time, generally some years. I want to ensure that...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (16 Jun 2004)

Pat Gallagher: There will be a nominal charge and that is reasonable. If one currently seeks copies of a planning application or details from an application, there will be a charge. It will certainly not be a question of trying to meet substantial costs, but rather to recover the actual cost.

Seanad: Report on Seanad Reform: Statements. (2 Jun 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I will be brief because I came here today to listen. I take this opportunity to compliment Senator O'Rourke, Leader of the Seanad and chairperson of the sub-committee, Senator Brian Hayes, Leader of the Fine Gael group, Senator Dardis, Deputy Leader of the Seanad, and Senator O'Toole, co-ordinator of the Independent group. I thank them for giving of their time and producing a comprehensive...

Seanad: Report on Seanad Reform: Statements (Resumed). (2 Jun 2004)

Pat Gallagher: During my introductory remarks and comments, I paid tribute to the members of the sub-committee dealing with Seanad reform. I inadvertently omitted to mention the contribution of Senator Ryan. Although he resigned from the sub-committee, he made a valuable contribution. I would like to be associated with his colleagues' remarks in paying tribute to him. The contributions of the Senators who...

Seanad: Shooting Regulations. (26 May 2004)

Pat Gallagher: There has been a long-standing policy of not allowing hunting on State lands acquired and managed for nature conservation purposes. The reasons for this approach are twofold: to protect the safety of people visiting and using national parks and to avoid compromising the nature conservation status of these lands. In 1999, the then Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands...

Seanad: Shooting Regulations. (26 May 2004)

Pat Gallagher: Following the advice issued by the Heritage Council and at the request of the National Association of Regional Game Councils, NARGC, the previous Minister agreed in early 2002, without prejudice, to a joint examination by a scientific group, comprising officials of the Department and nominees of NARGC, of the question of permitting hunting on State lands, from a scientific perspective only....

Seanad: Shooting Regulations. (26 May 2004)

Pat Gallagher: It is also the case that the lands in question amount to only approximately 1% of the land area of the State, while extensive facilities for hunting are available on Coillte lands, as the Senator pointed out, privately owned land and foreshore. The Minister also had to take account of considerations of public safety and confidence and of the potential exposure of the State to claims for...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (12 May 2004)

Pat Gallagher: The first part of amendment No. 1 reflects what will happen when the Bill is enacted and, consequently, I hope Senator Quinn will accept my undertaking that the commencement order will reflect this point. With regard to the second part of the amendment, the commission's terms of reference in Schedule 5, together with sections 21 and 22, state the commission's reports will comprise...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (12 May 2004)

Pat Gallagher: Senator Quinn has brought it to our attention that section 2 does not include software. I refer the Members to the citation in section 1 which provides that the Bill must be read in conjunction with a number of other Acts such as the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001, particularly section 138 of that Act. It applies to referenda and presidential elections and clearly refers to software. With...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages (Resumed). (12 May 2004)

Pat Gallagher: As I indicated on a number of occasions on previous Stages of the Bill, the question of publication of the source code will be examined later in the year, having regard to the security and secrecy of the ballot. As intended, my Department will be examining the count rules in the context of electronic voting and counting to provide that all the votes of elected candidates will be examined in...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages (Resumed). (12 May 2004)

Pat Gallagher: We select what suits us. I am pointing out what the commission said regarding the findings of the experts retained by it.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages (Resumed). (12 May 2004)

Pat Gallagher: The 14 days have elapsed and nothing further can be done. Neither would we interfere.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages (Resumed). (12 May 2004)

Pat Gallagher: It is the law of the land.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages (Resumed). (12 May 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I cannot respond.