Results 2,261-2,280 of 2,438 for speaker:Caít Keane

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 34 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (24 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: Will they be circulated to the committee?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 34 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (24 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: I had it on PDF.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 34 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (24 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: Dún Laoghaire is a bit depressed, is it not?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 34 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (24 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: That is another one up.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: I made a similar point in the course of the earlier debate on the Bill. As Senator Barrett noted, the Minister, in amendments Nos. 7, 9 and 10, recognises the important role of this House by proposing to replace "Dáil Éireann" with "each House of the Oireachtas" in the relevant places. The Government has taken on board the points we made here.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: In an ideal world everybody would like to have targets. The Senator asked how we will know how we are doing. Monitoring of the framework and the plan by the committee that will be set up and by the Government will play a huge role. I welcome the remarks last week by the EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, on the flexibility mechanisms under the EU...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: It was stated yesterday that the Seanad never accepts amendments from the Opposition but I want to put on the record that we have brought forward about ten Opposition amendments in this Bill alone, even those people do not tend to develop amnesia. When realistic proposals are put forward, we accept them.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: Those seeking appointment as director generals must come before Oireachtas committees for ratification. It is up to members of this House and the Lower House, to ensure that the competencies of candidates are well judged before they are appointed. They should not be appointed now. This is in line with new legislation enacted by the Government. Heretofore, one could be appointed to head up...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: One learns something new every day.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: Like other speakers, I wish the best of luck to former Senator, Jimmy Harte, and his family. The result of the Seanad referendum was clear. The people of Ireland have said that they value this House. Hopefully, they value its Members as well and we do the best job possible when we are elected to the House. It is a privilege to represent the people of Ireland. This House has an important...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: They were amendments that were tabled on Committee Stage by Independent Senators and that were accepted in the House. The House works in that way, despite it being stated that we do not accept such amendments. Reform of this House, in line with the popular vote, became a concern for the Government. It remains a concern and a work in progress. Indeed, the Government by legislation changed...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: -----if it was dealt with for the next election. It takes time to get all the registers of students in the universities and the institutes of technology up and running. The groundwork on that is ongoing.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: Change has happened under this Government-----

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: I will refer to the Bill shortly. The Seanad reform working group has worked tirelessly on this-----

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: The group met with the Taoiseach-----

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: -----and it has been agreed that the next Stage on that Bill will be discussed by the Dáil.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: Why was it not changed since 1979 when the referendum was held? This Government changed it. We cannot have an election if there is no electorate or register, so work must be carried out on it. With regard to the Bill before us, the amendment proposed is good and welcome. However, work must be done on it. As this House has specialist legislative oversight, it makes sense that its Members...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: -----through a list system.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: It was in the general scheme of the Bill. One of the recommendations was that by-elections in the Seanad would be dealt with in the same way as in the European Parliament, with the vacancies filled from a list system. I would not support that as much as I support ensuring that it goes to the councillors on the ground. I was very impressed by a proposal from Future Matters, a group of young...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Nov 2015)

Caít Keane: Councillors are independent.