Results 221-240 of 3,831 for speaker:Dinny McGinley

Written Answers — Disabled Drivers: Disabled Drivers (5 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: Question 131: To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding an application on appeal under the Disabled Drivers-Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994 for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal. [14778/05]

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: Question 276: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if an application has been received for the appointment of three special needs assistants for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; if so, if these positions will be approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14595/05]

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: Aontaím leis an leasú atá molta ag an Teachta O'Shea. We discussed this amendment at length on Committee Stage and I do not think any of us is satisfied by the undertakings given to date by the Government. I do not think we ever received a proper or acceptable explanation as to why this Bill is necessary. It was only two or three years since the original Act setting up the Dormant Accounts...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: I agree with most of my colleagues. However, I would not cast aspersions on the Minister's integrity. I know him long enough to know how he deals with these matters. As someone said, we are legislating for the future. When I became a Member of this House more than 20 years ago, hundreds of thousands of pounds of national lottery funds were given to a constituency not far from Dublin. We found...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: I support this sensible amendment to establish transparent criteria for the disbursement of funds in dormant accounts. When the Bill is enacted, power will be transferred from an independent board to Departments. The independent board has operated successfully so far. The amendment seeks to establish a framework within which decisions will be made. The legislation is too elastic. Almost any...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: Deontas tí.

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: Transparency and criteria are the order of the day. The Bill is changing the philosophy of the dormant accounts. Power is being taken from the existing board and given to the Minister and the Government. This is at the heart of the Bill. I do not understand the philosophy underlying it. Slush funds and the buying of elections have been referred to by other speakers. It is very difficult not...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (10 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: I move amendment No. 8: In page 5, to delete lines 40 to 45 and substitute the following: "32.—(1) The Board shall consist of a chairperson and 10 ordinary members appointed by the Minister and shall include— (a) an officer of the Minister not below the rank of principal officer, (b) a person who, in the Minister's opinion, represents the interests of the financial services industry, (c)...

Written Answers — Sports Stadium: Sports Stadium (10 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: Question 91: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress being made with regard to the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road stadium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15063/05]

Written Answers — Language Programme: Language Programme (10 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: Question 413: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on the urgency of re-establishing an all-Irish education school in Ballyvourney, County Cork, in view of the language commissioner's recent report. [14991/05]

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: This amendment goes to the core of this Bill because it deals with the composition of the new board and the emasculation of the old one. Yesterday, I said this is a reversal of Government policy for many years. There are probably more boards in this country than in many other countries of our size. There are boards to deal with every matter which does not seem to cause any problem. They seem...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: The difficulty arises with subsection (1)(c) where nominating bodies are given the power to nominate members or to recommend members to be appointed by the Minister. I have listened carefully to the Minister's reply. As proposed by the Minister the board will be nominated by the Minister with no nomination from the voluntary sector or the community sector and this is fine. The board is the...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: They will be nominated by the bodies and sanctioned by the Minister.

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: Does the Minister intend having discussions with these organisations?

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: Section 30(1) of the Bill states: The Board shall consist of a chairperson and 10 ordinary members, all of whom are to be appointed by the Minister from persons who, in his or her opinion, have knowledge of, or experience relating to, matters that appear to the Minister to be relevant to the Board's functions. Does it specify there——

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: Do I understand that community and voluntary bodies will have the opportunity to make representations or submit names and the Minister will then exercise his power of selecting four of them?

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: However, ultimately they will be members of a board that has little or no power. I do not know what the board will do other than writing reports on the Minister's activities. It will be very difficult for a board selected by the Minister to write critical reports of how he carries out his activities in the disbursement of these funds.

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: Más mar sin é, níl a fhios agam cad é a shílim.

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: I agree with Deputy O'Shea that this is a very reasonable amendment. It is unthinkable that the chairman of a board, which is a very powerful position, would not be obliged to explain decisions before the Committee of Public Accounts. I have never been a member of the Committee of Public Accounts but I have watched the proceedings occasionally. If I am not mistaken, chairpersons of other...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2005)

Dinny McGinley: I am trying to follow the Minster's explanation to the best of my ability. As I understand it, the current board, which will be disbanded when this Bill goes through has a chairperson but no chief executive. The chairperson of the current board is responsible for disbursements and is obliged to appear before the Committee of Public Accounts for any disbursements that are made. Like the...