Results 1,141-1,160 of 13,253 for speaker:Pat Gallagher

Fishing Industry Development. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: If we are to make progress on this issue, the most positive step that could be taken depends on the industry, which I have invited to nominate representatives to the management committee. They would have an input into SMAC, which advises and makes recommendations to DARD in Northern Ireland and the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. It has an input into the management...

Fishing Industry Development. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: There was an exchange of correspondence between the Department and several stakeholders, both individually and collectively, and the view they take is that it is not a legal entity. The advice that I have received is that it is legal and that we are bound by the March 1964 Voisinage Agreement. I do not know what the best decisive action on my part might be. However, I would have the support...

Fishing Industry Development. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I will supply it to the Deputy.

Marine Rescue Service. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I am conscious of the need for a new station house for the coastal unit at Doolin, County Clare and want to see it provided as quickly as possible. The Irish Coast Guard and the Office of Public Works have been doing everything they can to acquire a suitable site in the area, but despite intensive local discussions and negotiations it has not been possible to reach agreement for a site to...

Marine Rescue Service. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I appreciate the difficult circumstances in which the team in Doolin is working. There are 45 coastal units around the State. The Department has a programme in place to provide new stations or extensions and refurbishments to existing ones. In the past 12 months I have had the pleasure of opening many of them. It is not that Doolin is not high on the priority list. The Deputy is correct as...

Marine Rescue Service. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Templates exist and it should not take too long to design a station house. If the process got that far, the Deputy would be reasonably satisfied.

Industrial Relations. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Talks were held recently under the auspices of the Labour Court, involving Irish Ferries Limited, SIPTU and the Seamen's Union of Ireland. The Labour Court has issued its recommendations on the dispute. The Labour Court operates as an industrial relations tribunal, hearing both sides in trade disputes and then issuing recommendations setting out its opinion on the dispute and the terms on...

Industrial Relations. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: One could resolve the difficulty immediately were the parties prepared to accept the court's recommendations of this week, which I do not have. Formally, it is not seven days but, by the same token, everyone knows what the recommendations are. The Taoiseach made it blatantly obvious that the Government does not condone a situation where individuals, irrespective of where they come from, are...

Industrial Relations. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: On advice, yes. We now have an application for reflagging in Cyprus. We put a number of questions to the company in connection with this on the advice of the Office of the Attorney General. We received replies that were not what we requested. I understand that more comprehensive replies have been made as recently as today. Obviously, I must get advice from the Attorney General before I can...

Industrial Relations. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I have not met the company for a considerable time and certainly not since the announcement of the offer of redundancies.

Industrial Relations. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Like the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, and others, I do not wish to interfere in internal industrial relations or in the industrial relations machinery of the Labour Court which has served us well. I recently met representatives of the unions, such as Mr. David Begg of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, representatives from the Seamen's Union...

Industrial Relations. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I admire any individual Member who tables his or her own Bill. The Irish ship registration legislation is essentially the Mercantile Marine Act 1955. It is being reviewed and a public consultation process is under way. The details of the process are available on a website. I remind the House and Deputy Broughan in particular that the closing date for submissions is 16 December. The content of...

Fisheries Protection. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has primary responsibility for the implementation in Ireland of Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and wild flora and fauna. That Department received a letter of formal notice from the European Commission dated 5 July 2005 regarding a complaint made to the Commission that Ireland is not managing drift...

Fisheries Protection. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I will certainly not hide behind any directive but I am advised, because this is an initial step in possible infringement proceedings against us, that the matter remains sub judice and that I cannot therefore comment on the exact details of the response at this time. It may well be that the European Commission is prepared to give that information but, from my experience of it, I doubt that...

Fisheries Protection. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: First, I do not know who it was, whether it was the UK Government, an individual, a group or a company.

Fisheries Protection. (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: If it is available. I will have to clear that with the Commission. I am sure Deputy Ryan, above all, would not want me to do anything which might prejudice the outcome. We responded to that complaint in November 2003. We provided the detailed information on the management regime and no response was received from the Commission until July last. They have requested further information and now...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I am keenly aware of the industry's views in this area. However, in the context of planning the development of the Killybegs fishing industry, it is important to recognise some key international factors that are impacting on the industry and which are outside domestic influence. The European fishing industry is experiencing difficulties for a variety of reasons, including scientific concerns...

Written Answers — Ferry Operations: Ferry Operations (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I have responsibility for the Irish Ship Register, that is, for Irish registered ships. Applicable national and international law governs the operation of other ship registers. The Irish Ferries Limited ship, the MV Normandy, has been off the Irish Ship Register since 12 January 2005. Obligations on the ship's owners regarding maintenance, crewing standards and certification of those matters...

Written Answers — Marine Safety: Marine Safety (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Merchant Shipping (Passenger Boat Manning) Regulations 2005, SI 649 of 2005, require all skippers of passenger boats to hold a valid certificate for the appropriate class of vessel and a commercial endorsement verifying that the skipper has attained the standard specified in marine notice 27 of 2005 in respect of personal survival techniques, first aid and medical fitness. The regulations...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (16 Nov 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Although the next Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers takes place from 22-24 November, I assume the Deputy is referring to the Council which will take place in December and decide on the total allowable catches, TACs, and quotas and associated conditions for fish stocks for 2006. The priority for Ireland at this Council will be to achieve a balanced outcome that will provide for a...