Results 1,441-1,460 of 13,253 for speaker:Pat Gallagher

Seanad: School Accommodation. (23 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, with an opportunity to outline the position of the Department with regard to primary school places in the Tallaght area and the position of an application for funding from St. Mark's junior school for additional accommodation. At the end of last year the Department outlined its...

Seanad: School Accommodation. (23 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I could give the short version of the answer to this matter but I should give the longer version because we must defend ourselves from suggestions that this Government has made empty promises. There have been unprecedented levels of investment by this Government over the past nine years. Dealing specifically with Lanesboro Community College, I thank the Senator for raising this matter because...

Seanad: School Accommodation. (23 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I will relate that view to the Minister but I know Senator Bannon is glad that the decision has been taken and that progress will be made.

Seanad: Human Trafficking (23 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I thank Senator White for raising this important issue and for giving me the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform who could not be here tonight, for which he sends his apologies to the House and to Senator White. I wish to make clear to the House the Government's commitment to dealing with trafficking in human beings. Human trafficking is a...

Written Answers — State Property: State Property (24 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: Shannon Foynes port is a State-owned company established under the Harbours Act 1996. The Act provides that the principal objects of the company include the provision of such facilities, services and lands in its harbour for ships, goods and passengers, as it considers necessary. The company is required to take all proper measures for the management, control, operation and development of its...

Seanad: Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage. (24 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: As the Senator has mentioned, we discussed this in detail yesterday. As I indicated yesterday, section 4 already provides for the transfer of functions to the road safety authority. These functions include those relating to the driving test, registration of driving instructors. etc. With regard to the various subsections, registration of vehicles lies with the Revenue Commissioners and we...

Seanad: Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage. (24 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I have no difficulty with the principle of what Senator Paddy Burke proposes. It is only right and proper that the Bill provides for functions relating to the registration of instructors, to be specified in regulations made under the Road Traffic Acts. The new authority will be designated as an approved body and can issue instruction certificates for the purpose of regulating driving...

Seanad: Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage. (24 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: In the course of the debate on Committee Stage, I said sincerely that I wanted some time to think about this matter. We drew clear water between the position of members of the European Parliament, the Oireachtas and local authorities. I was a member of a local authority and served my time in what I would describe as the university of politics in the local authority. I was involved in LAMA at...

Seanad: Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (24 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I will give Senators a vote the next time.

Seanad: Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (24 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I appreciate the opportunity to say a few concluding words and to thank all the Senators who contributed. I do not want to focus on the issue which was of grave concern to them. I know that all who spoke on the matter did so with the utmost sincerity. The principle many of them enunciated in the House is one which we must look at in the future. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, and...

Seanad: Health Services. (24 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Garda central vetting unit, which was recently decentralised to Thurles, County Tipperary, is responsible for the criminal record vetting of persons who would have substantial, unsupervised access to children and vulnerable adults. The requirement to vet most...

Disabled Drivers. (30 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I thank Deputy Crawford for raising this important issue relating to the disabled drivers' and disabled passengers' tax concessions scheme. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, who had another engagement in the west tonight, asked me to convey his apologies. The scheme dates back to 1968 when relief from road tax was made available, under legislation, for persons with a disability meeting...

Rail Services. (30 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I thank Deputy Pat Breen for raising the issue of the western rail corridor. He knows many of the answers already. The position has not changed. We aim to ensure that the timescale of which he is aware and which has been made clear will be adhered to. Transport 21 provides for the re-opening of the western rail corridor between Ennis and Claremorris on a phased basis and the preservation of...

Rail Services. (30 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: An Opposition Deputy may hope it will not because, otherwise, there is no political benefit.

Rail Services. (30 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: We are the party which is committing itself to this project. We are doing it and we will deliver. The only benefit for the Opposition is to hope it may slip off the agenda.

Rail Services. (30 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: As the Deputy outlined, the indicative timescale for completion of the Athenry to Tuam section is 2011 and the Tuam to Claremorris section is 2014. We will do our utmost to ensure that we adhere to that timeframe. The current position on the project is that Iarnród Éireann has submitted proposals to my Department relating to phase one and phase two. These are being finalised in my...

Written Answers — Coast Guard Service: Coast Guard Service (30 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I propose to take Questions Nos. 417 and 431 together. The Irish Coast Guard of the Department has responsibility for provision of accommodation for Coastal Units, including the Drogheda Unit which was set up in 2003. The Drogheda Unit at present operates from a premises at Horse Lane, Drogheda, on a shared basis with another organization. This premises is owned by Drogheda Borough Council...

Seanad: School Staffing. (30 May 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I apologise on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, who is unable to be here. She has asked me to respond on her behalf. I thank Senator Bannon for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the position of the Department of Education and Science on the matter raised by him. The issue of quality of teaching within a school falls...

Written Answers — Industrial Disputes: Industrial Disputes (1 Jun 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I am aware that the International Transport Workers' Federation has had concerns for some time in relation to the pay and work conditions on the ship operated by the company referred to by the Deputy. The Department of Transport has certain responsibilities in relation to Irish registered ships; the operation of ships on other ship registers is governed by applicable national and...

Written Answers — Tourism Industry: Tourism Industry (7 Jun 2006)

Pat Gallagher: Officers from my Department have met with representatives from the Irish Tour Operators Association and Coach Tourism and Transport Council to discuss the issues surrounding the new drivers hours Regulations. These new Regulations will come into effect on 11 April 2007.