Results 4,121-4,140 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: As the Senators know, at present port authority boards have 12 directors. Various groups and reports have recommended a reduction in the number of directors on port company boards. The general view is that 12 is excessive even for the bigger ports. Some of the smaller ones——

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: Even with some of the bigger ports, having 12 is too many. With some of the smaller ones it is possible to end up with more board members than staff. The change would not affect the term of any existing board member in any case. There is another view. From the point of view of the Department of Transport, there is another aspect although this has been recommended to us by various reports....

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: We are not putting it in. On Committee Stage the Senator asked what would happen where more than one local authority was adjacent to a port. Even on that issue some people rebuked me or pulled me up on what I might have suggested at the time. Somebody has since told me that that particular port is in a different county. I apologise to the Acting Chairman, I do not want to raise another...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: I was talking about him. I accept there is an issue. If it was in the legislation as one, it might nearly create a bigger problem. Issues such as that will need to be discussed in some sort of friendly way to come to a decision. The Minister, Deputy Dempsey, has given two commitments. First, it will not affect the term of office of any existing member, whose terms are running out fairly...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: This amendment is purely technical and does not alter the text of the Bill in any significant or substantive way but merely changes the layout of the subsections to take account of some observations made within the Department. As originally proposed, the section resulted in unnecessary duplication and this amendment is intended to put that right.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: Were these amendments grouped?

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: The point at issue is the same. It is purely technical.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: It was clear from the rather long debate on Committee Stage that the potential transfer of these two harbours to ports nearby would be a fairly difficult and contentious issue. As I said many times on Committee Stage, this is an enabling provision that has been discussed at different levels and in different reports for approximately ten years. The Government's ports policy statement issued...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: My mother may have been from Castledonovan but I do not have the history, background or knowledge of some Senators on all aspects of the sea. The River Tolka and Dollymount are probably the nearest to water in which I have ever had involvement. Some comments here, particularly by Senator O'Donovan, were interesting. Reference was made to the break-up of the Department of the...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: I thank all Members for their work. We had a long and comprehensive debate on this matter and I thank all who contributed. As well as the sections that were contentious, the Bill has other aspects that are not contentious but are very important. The ports system is developing and evolving and it is a key driver and facilitator of our import and export traffic. Some aspects of this Bill...

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (24 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: Under the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations, 1997 the granting of a disabled person's parking permit is a matter for local authorities, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association. The scheme relates to a person who is suffering from a disability that is of a nature that prevents him or her from walking or causes undue hardship to the person in walking....

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (24 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: Details of expenditure for Coast Guard Units in the Leinster area under the budgetary headings listed for the last three years are as follows: 2006 CG Unit Volunteer Costs Equipment Fuel Building Maintenance Events Training Other Costs Greenore 444 122 71 1,744 0 2,210 409 Clogherhead 715 176 0 2,714 0 311 1,899 Drogheda 10,837 1,077 85 2,940 0 7,470 5,425 Skerries 2,532 1,311 0 9,539...

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: The Deputies asked a lot of extra questions to which I might not have the answers. In mid-January the DAA informed the Department that as part of preparations for global restructuring SR Technics had agreed to sell certain hangars back to the DAA——

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: Can the Deputy let me give my answer?

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: I had better start again. In mid-January the DAA informed the Department that as part of preparations for global restructuring SR Technics had agreed to sell certain hangars back to the DAA and had signed a letter of intent to that effect. The Minister was informed of these developments at the time. The Department and the Minister had been made aware by the DAA in mid-November of contacts...

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy should hold on a second. I listened to him.

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: The Department and the DAA have at all times been sensitive to the employment implications of the SR Technics closure.

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: I am trying to answer some of the Deputy's questions.

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: I can also confirm that the IDA and Enterprise Ireland——

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: I am giving the exact facts, if the Deputies would only have the patience to listen.