Results 3,841-3,860 of 4,092 for speaker:Michael D Higgins

Order of Business (29 Sep 2010)

Michael D Higgins: It has been described as a dripping tap or a leaking pipe.

Order of Business (29 Sep 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Will the Minister responsible be placing the final report of the Dormant Accounts Board in the Library before he publishes this legislation?

Written Answers — National Pensions Reserve Fund: National Pensions Reserve Fund (29 Sep 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 533: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the strategy, such as that practised by Norway, regarding ethical investment of State-sourced funds; and the way this impinges on the operation of the National Pensions Reserve Fund. [29657/10]

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (30 Sep 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 9: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the 2009 annual report of the Comptroller and Auditor General; if he is satisfied that he has received value for money on financial advisory services, totalling some €33 million; the steps he will take to enhance the tendering process for such services in view of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Residential Care Services: Residential Care Services (5 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 81: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding step-down beds being made available in the major urban centres in order that patients in acute hospitals who are ready to be discharged to such beds can be transferred and thereby relieve pressure on acute beds and the emergency departments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34677/10]

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (5 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 88: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of hospital beds that have now been removed from the overall bed numbers per Health Service Executive region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34676/10]

Written Answers — Taxi Regulations: Taxi Regulations (6 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 106: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will provide for an increase in staff, particularly enforcement staff, in the office of the taxi regulator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35048/10]

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (6 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 228: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will clarify the process in the granting of exemption from articles 6 and 7 the Air Navigations (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973; if a separate exemption must be sought and granted for every flight by an exempted aircraft; the number of aircraft exempt from articles 6 and 7 of the order as of 1...

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (6 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 229: To ask the Minister for Transport if the final destinations of flights carrying arms through Ireland are known to his Department; the procedures that are in place to ensure that they are not destined for embargoed destinations, or destined for end-users likely to commit war crimes or human rights violations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35343/10]

Written Answers — Air Services: Air Services (6 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 230: To ask the Minister for Transport the reason for which 22 applications for permits to carry munitions through Ireland in 2007, as well as 28 in 2008 and 30 in 2009 were not granted; the criteria used to decide if a permit will be granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35344/10]

Order of Business (7 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Regarding the Cabinet sub-committee on the amendments to the air navigation Acts of 1978 and 1988, legislation has been promised but there is no sign of it. The legislation deals with chemical weapons traffic through Irish airspace. We will turn to the substantive matter later today in the Biological Weapons Bill.

Order of Business (7 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Legislation was promised in response to my Bill, which I tabled for the Labour Party in Private Members' time, and the Government suggested it was preparing legislation. That is over two years ago and there has been no sight of the legislation. It is not listed in the Government legislation programme. I refer to Nos. 89, 90 and 91 on the Government legislation programme, the road transport...

Order of Business (7 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: With the greatest of respect to the Tánaiste, I am quite well aware of how the Bills are described. Anyone passing along a street in cities in this country knows the chaos that exists in respect of the taxi industry. A further item of promised legislation came from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport.

Order of Business (7 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: On the second issue-----

Order of Business (7 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: My second question concerns the amendment of legislation from 1978 and 1988. Two years ago the Taoiseach said he would revert to me on this issue. He told me there was a Cabinet sub-committee on this matter and, for the information of the Tánaiste, it last met in 2009. When the Tánaiste has identified the issue of whether we have a taxi problem, she might have another Cabinet...

Order of Business (7 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: This is urgent.

Biological Weapons Bill 2010: Second Stage (7 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: We could have a new protocol.

Biological Weapons Bill 2010: Second Stage (7 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Tá áthas orm go bhfuil seans agam an reachtaíocht tábhachtach seo a phlé. Tá clú muintir na hÉireann agus Rialtas na hÉireann ag feabhsú toisc go bhfuil reachtaíocht den leithéid seo á thabhairt isteach againn. I very much welcome the legislation. The Labour Party sees it as part of an ethical foreign policy and for that reason we support it, as we did taking a strong position...

Biological Weapons Bill 2010: Second Stage (7 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: In that two minutes I shall return to an old theme that arises on occasions like this, namely, the famous United Nations Security Council Resolution 15/40 of 2004, which is referred to in the Minister of State's speech. This was an interesting measure and I point out with some humility to the Minister of State and his officials that this resolution was brought in as a Chapter 7 resolution...

Biological Weapons Bill 2010: Second Stage (7 Oct 2010)

Michael D Higgins: The surveillance is missing.