Results 9,141-9,160 of 11,861 for speaker:Brian Hayes

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Assessments (10 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I welcome the report of the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht entitled “Eight proposals urgently required to tackle flooding on the river Shannon, its tributaries and the waters feeding into it”. While not all the matters raised in the Committee Report come within the remit of the Office of Public Works, the general scope of the Report has relevance to...

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Prevention Measures (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: The Deputy should not apologise for raising this matter in the House as he is quite entitled to do. I understand his frustration at the bureaucracy he has encountered both from our side and from Dublin City Council. He is absolutely within his rights as a Member of this House to highlight the matter publicly. The Naniken river runs underground for most of its length through the built-up...

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Prevention Measures (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I assure the Deputy that I will organise a meeting between the Dublin City Council engineers and officials from the OPW to see whether a more creative solution can be found. I will attend this meeting myself and will invite the Deputy to join me. Just as the OPW is governed by its mandate, the council is equally governed by the mandate it receives from the Department of the Environment,...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I am pleased to have the opportunity of introducing the Second Stage reading by Seanad Éireann of the Valuation (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2012. As Senators will be aware, the proposed amendments are designed to accelerate the national programme of revaluation of all commercial and industrial properties across the State, to minimise exemptions from rateability and to deal with difficulties...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: Ambition is my middle name.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: We reduced VAT from 13% to 9%.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: Read the Constitution.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: Words, words, words.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I thank colleagues for their very constructive contributions to this debate. One of the benefits of reading the concluding speech which is provided by the Department is that it gives an idea of what the reaction may have been. I note it states that those Members who contributed have given a general welcome to the Bill. However, I will change that to "a more subdued welcome", which I am on...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: -----that the world changed in March 2011. I agree it did.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: However, I think the Senator needs to be a little more humble in his appreciation of history. Much of what has been included in this Bill was also worked on by the previous Government when Senator Byrne's party was in office.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: Pol Pot maintained that his first day in office marked the beginning of history.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I am not suggesting that the Senator killed one million people.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: This Bill represents the cumulative work of two Administrations-----

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I agree with Senator Barrett about the reorganisation of local government. I agree with his opinion that it is top heavy with managers with too few cognitive staff undertaking specific work. Wearing my public sector reform hat, I assure the Senator that the Minister, Deputy Phil Hogan, will present radical proposals over the next few weeks which will examine the question of amalgamation,...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: There has been a tenfold increase in staff numbers since the Senator inquired some years ago. We are very cognisant of the administrative changes within the Valuation Office. There has been a reorganisation of work teams, an extensive development of a computer system and the development of an integrated database for both the revision and revaluation programmes. The whole objective of the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Bank Branch Closures (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I thank Senator O'Donovan, the Leas-Chathaoirleach, for raising this matter. As the Senator will be aware, and notwithstanding the fact the State is the significant shareholder in AIB, the Government must ensure the bank is run on a commercial, cost-effective and independent basis so as to maintain the value of the bank as an asset to the State, as per the memorandum on economic and...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Bank Branch Closures (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I very much agree with the point the Senator is making. It is not acceptable for banks to refuse to send representatives to a public meeting in circumstances where a local banking service is potentially being withdrawn. Given the long-standing relationships that exist in this community and the customer base the bank has built up, the failure to engage is particularly disappointing. If it...

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: I welcome the opportunity to appear before the committee and recognise its importance in our work. To put it bluntly, the key task of the Government is economic survival. That means getting the country to a better position over a period of years in order that we can get the economy growing again. When both parties were elected to office, the mandate given to them was not just to clear up...

Public Accounts Committee: Public Service Reform Plan: Discussion (11 Oct 2012)

Brian Hayes: Yes. By the time our plans are fully implemented that number will be down to approximately 640. Bringing all of the HR personnel together will yield savings of 26%; therefore, we will have reduced by one quarter the total amount of money we are spending on HR services in the public sector. It will allow us to move HR personnel to do other things because of the arrangements in place under...