Results 201-220 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Housing Developments: Motion (Resumed). (23 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to share time with Deputies Nolan, McGuinness, Haughey and Fitzpatrick.

Housing Developments: Motion (Resumed). (23 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: It has been said that this debate on management companies is taking place in the context of tremendous increase in the construction of homes in recent years. The fact that apartment complex management has become the subject of such attention is partly a result of the huge increase in apartment development in recent years. Apartments accounted for 22% of residential units built in 2004. Almost...

Seanad: Estimates for Public Services 2006: Statements (Resumed). (24 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am glad the Senator is listening.

Seanad: Estimates for Public Services 2006: Statements (Resumed). (24 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: I ask the Senator to ensure his local authority has included this area as a priority. That is the fundamental question.

Seanad: Estimates for Public Services 2006: Statements (Resumed). (24 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: A number of Senators have referred to the difficulty in understanding the Estimates and the lack of supporting information about what is being achieved for the expenditure involved. In last year's budget the Minister for Finance stated he was open to considering how improvements could be made in the Estimates and the budgetary process in the context of the current situation in which we...

Litter Pollution. (29 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: To clarify, I did not make the statement.

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (29 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: Returns from local authorities indicate that, as of the end of June, 138 litter wardens were employed in city, borough and town councils. A total of 53 wardens were employed on a full-time basis.

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (29 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: The 1990 regulations banning the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal were originally made to address the winter smog situation prevalent in the Dublin area at that time, and have since been extended to 15 other areas taking account of air quality monitoring data and population size. A June 2002 voluntary agreement between my Department and the Solid Fuel Trade Group provided,...

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Bill seeks to place an obligation on the Government to reduce its emissions to up to 30% below 1990 levels by 2020 and up to 80% by 2050. These are huge reductions in the context of Ireland's current emissions of 25% above 1990 values. My colleagues have explained the implications of these reductions for Ireland. Targets such as these are all very well but no country would sign up to any...

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——which have the potential to do that much damage to its competitiveness and economy.

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: The figures in the Bill are EU proposals for reductions in the context of international negotiations on the period after 2012 and are not in any way binding.

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government has made it very clear that there are real reasons of principle and practicality for objecting to this Bill. The objection in principle relates to enshrining in legislation targets that properly belong in the arena of Government policy. The practical objection is that there is no firm basis for the targets. The figures used are not legally binding on any other country and even...

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: This practical reason for opposing the Bill has been well exemplified by my colleagues on the Government benches. As speakers have pointed out, this Bill does not contain any information on how Ireland would achieve such reductions. The Green Party, as proposer of the Bill, has not spelt out the measures necessary to achieve these targets. The party and its colleagues in Opposition have...

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——affecting every sector——

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——from agriculture and food processing to pharmaceuticals and semi-conductor manufacture. Deputy Boyle would hate to see all the pharmaceutical industries in Ringaskiddy in his constituency being affected.

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Green Party may have a principled opposition to dirty industry but Irish industry is already regulated to the highest standards by the Environmental Protection Agency and many of the firms in these industries are already reducing their emissions through the EU emissions trading scheme. This Bill would destroy Irish industry——

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——by imposing on it targets that are unrealistic and unachievable. It would mean the closure of major companies such as Intel and Aughinish Alumina and the decline of our pharmaceutical sector and cement industry.

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government cannot accept a Bill that would lay waste to vast sectors of the economy given that it has taken so long for the economy to get on its feet.

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: Opposition Deputies have spoken about the potential impact climate change is having and will have. It is accepted, and scientific research has confirmed, that climate change will impact on Ireland. The adoption by Ireland of overly ambitious targets to reduce emissions will not solve that problem on its own, however. Targets need to be agreed and adopted internationally——

Climate Change Targets Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——and it is only in the international forum that countries acting together can begin to bring climate change under control. Ireland's climate change policy is situated squarely within the existing international climate change framework.