Results 3,301-3,320 of 4,404 for speaker:Liz McManus

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: The Minister should give the House a break. No one is arguing against regulation or standards. The Minister is establishing a costly body, although that is a guess because the Minister seems unable to provide us with even a ballpark figure of how much it will cost. Will it cost €7.2 million or €10 million? Broadcasters are on their knees. RTE and TV3 are struggling with large holes...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I move amendment No. 7: In page 17, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: "5.—Any order, scheme, rule or regulation made pursuant to this Act shall be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made, and, if a resolution annulling the order or regulation is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the order...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I acknowledge that the Minister has tried to do something unprecedented in including the Oireachtas committee on deliberations regarding appointments. That is welcome but I share the view of Deputy Coveney that the approach adopted is second best. We must have a rigorous system of accountability for Government appointments. The Minister's party has found, to its cost, that the existing...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I do not wish to labour the point regarding the needs of people with disabilities. I am aware of the Minister's goodwill towards this issue and I would be extremely surprised if the first authority appointed did not contain some form of representation to ensure full access for people with difficulties. However, legislation does not relate to any particular Minister. In view of the current...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: The Deputy is skating on thin ice.

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I move amendment No. 16: In page 19, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: "(2) The Authority or a statutory committee shall include at least one member who has had experience of or shown capacity in each of the following areas— (a) matters pertaining to disability and ageing, (b) broadcasting, (c) digital media technologies.".

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I am suspicious at the idea of meetings of an important authority being conducted by telephone. We should stick with the old ways. If there is an emergency meeting that must be conducted by telephone, must every person on the authority be contacted and able to participate? Only a quorum is necessary for a meeting. I would be uncomfortable that a meeting could be held using the quorum to...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I do not want to labour the point but I want to inform those who compile the grouping that the form of grouping used through this Bill is incredibly difficult, mainly because so many amendments have been bundled together. In this instance, even though there are only a few amendments, they should not have been bundled. We are not being well served in terms of the work we must do when there...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: The minutes will, however, not be published.

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I agree with the Minister that it is inevitable in a country of this size there will be conflicts of interest from time to time. It is a question, however, of accountability. Will the minutes be subject to freedom of information requests? From my experience on local authorities, Oireachtas committees and this Chamber, from time to time people declare a conflict of interest in a matter....

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I move amendment No. 22: In page 31, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: "(6) A disclosure under this section or section 22 shall be recorded in a register together with particulars of any interest of members of the Authority or persons to whom section 22 applies, and the register shall be available to public inspection during office hours.".

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I welcome the inclusion of amendment No. 23. It goes as far as anybody would expect a Minister to go in terms of the issues I raised about protecting children. I appreciate that the Minister has taken the points on board. I will withdraw my amendment in support of his. It is telling that we have the functions of the authority set out in an amendment on Report Stage. It took approximately...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I would like to hear what the Minister has to say first.

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: The difficulty in the specific case is there is no means of resolution. It should not have happened. This underlines the point that if we do not have joined up regulation, people end up losing out. This case is an example of the argument for a converged regulator and I would had hoped the Minister would have taken it on board. However, we have had that argument. With regard to what...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: The Minister has made some progress, for which I am grateful. It would have been satisfactory to have had my other amendments relating to community television accepted. I can understand the point on the cost if there is a third party. I was not aware of this and it obviously limits possibilities. It is important that community television be acknowledged to have a social benefit. I suspect...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I welcome the Minister's move. I strongly supported the idea of having a certain amount of advertising to provide the film channel with some resources. We must be careful about seeing this in commercial terms and I do not necessarily agree with Deputy Coveney. Perhaps the Minister could elaborate on his original thinking. I do not think he saw this as a movie channel. I understand it is...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: Question 44: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on reports that the consortium that runs the M50 barrier free tolling system on behalf of the National Roads Authority is to review its operation; if he has had contacts with the National Roads Authority on this matter; if he will review the full operation of the M50 barrier free tolling system; and if he will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (2 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: Question 60: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has received a report from the National Roads Authority on the proposed extension of the C-ring M50 into the eastern orbital outer ring road; his views on the development of this new road project and its proposed timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13674/09]

Financial Resolution No. 4: Mineral Oil Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: I do not want to oppose the proposed excise increase on cigarettes because price can have an influence on young people and ensure they do not take up smoking. It will not make a difference as a preventative measure for older people. However, money collected in this way should be used to help people to give up smoking since that does not happen currently. I strongly recommend such provision...

Financial Resolution No. 4: Mineral Oil Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Liz McManus: Ten minutes.