Results 3,181-3,200 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: The Government has no objections to the sentiment of the Fine Gael amendment. However, the Government has put down its own constructive amendment, outlining what has been done to root out corruption, and we consider that this is a more positive approach. We will be pressing our amendment. I have no intention of engaging with the Green Party in fruitless discussion or argument concerning...

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: The bottom line is that the tribunal was established by the Oireachtas to investigate acts of planning corruption and it continues its work in public hearings.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: I made the point earlier.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: I made it earlier and it caused the Deputy some offence.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: So I left it out.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: I can, I will explain it if you give me time.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: To date, the tribunal has issued four interim reports, which made certain findings. Following the conclusion of its public hearings, the tribunal will prepare and furnish to the Oireachtas its final report. In this regard, the tribunal has a mandate to make recommendations and, at that stage, we will follow those recommendations.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: While we await the completion of the work of the tribunal, the Government has not been slow to put in place reforms to protect the openness, probity, fairness and efficiency in the operation of the planning system. To this end, we have introduced various new measures to improve the openness and transparency, a few of which I will outline. For instance, the Planning and Development Act 2000...

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: Under the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act 2001 corruption is presumed where there is proof that certain persons in public office have received money or other benefits from a person who has an interest in the way certain functions are carried out or the outcome of specified decisions, including planning decisions. In effect, this reverses the normal burden of proof. A person who...

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: Deputy Ryan has a habit of coming in here, roaring and shouting like a bull, and making as much sense as a bull.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: Deputy Ryan will have his opportunity and I will listen to him with more courtesy than he is showing me. If he stops behaving like a little jackbooted bully we may get somewhere in this House. Each occasion I come in here to make a speech he comes up, red-faced with indignation, roaring and shouting and making little sense. I suggest he take a tranquilliser, calm down and listen to a little...

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: With regard to the scale and nature of the physical development which has taken place over past decades, there is common cause in this House that it is not good enough that, as has happened in the past, we built without putting the infrastructure in place. Certainly, nobody can suggest that I have any less interest in this than anybody on the benches opposite because I have a record on the...

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: If I am wrong, I accept that. I have never witnessed Green Party support.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: From a national perspective, the eastern half of the State has witnessed the most rapid development over the past decade. It has been a challenge to respond to this phenomenon in infrastructural investment in areas such as transportation and housing, two issues referred to in the motion. Housing development rapidly accelerated over the past decade throughout the so-called outer Leinster...

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: Transport 21 is proceeding to roll out further major investment in fixed line public transport networks.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: About a week ago. Transport 21 will support the spatial development framework for the GDA from a transportation perspective. In Adamstown, for example, this will result in the four tracking of the Kildare-Heuston suburban rail service, providing a rapid and frequent link between west Dublin and the city centre and other transport networks such as Luas. People and communities will also benefit...

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: Taking all of the foregoing together, we are turning around recent development trends. We accept we face a challenge and we are more realistic than the Green Party in that regard.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: My Department and I will continue to work closely with other Departments, regional and local authorities to ensure an integrated approach. An element of the Green Party motion and the Sinn Féin rhetoric suggests that the Government has favoured private housing development to the detriment of our social and affordable housing provision, which is patently untrue.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: We have witnessed unprecedented demand for housing over the past decade, reflecting significant economic success and rapidly changing demographics.

Political Donations and Planning: Motion. (21 Mar 2006)

Dick Roche: The Deputy could do his bit in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, which has the worst social housing record in the State. I will not be lectured by him. He should examine the record of the council in an area where he has influence.