Results 1,521-1,540 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: I will leave the argument where it stands in the context of our difference of opinion regarding the role of committees and that of the Opposition. I was lucky enough to have been involved in the hearings process in another parliament and was extremely impressed by it. That was my sole motivation behind my proposal that we adopt a similar structure in Ireland. I will endeavour to play my...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Minister for the clarification on the RTE board. We should just get on and do it in order that it can get clear direction and have a full sized board with all of the expertise it is hoped that will bring. Deputy McManus has made the point repeatedly about the need for representation of the disability sector. I agree with everything she said in that regard. I suspect our...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: We might disagree on that but whether there is the exact same representation of men and women on the board is less important than having a representative who has expertise and knowledge in this area. We must have general regard to gender balance on the board but being exacting in that area and not being prescriptive in the area of disability is wrong. My amendment No. 13 seeks to facilitate...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 10: In page 18, to delete lines 8 and 9 and substitute the following: "(2) The nomination and approval process shall have regard to the need for gender balance and representation from the disability sector.". Question, "That the words proposed to be deleted stand", put and declared carried.

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: Amendment No. 20 is a response to my concern on Committee Stage at the possibility that board meetings could be held where people telephone to give a decision on a question. It is open to abuse in difficult decisions where the board is split. To be fair the Minister has tried to address this concern. In the unlikely event there is not a full attendance at the board meeting and members must...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: A number of issues arise in regard to the amendments we are considering. I wish to focus on a matter relating to an addition by the Minister in amendment No. 25 outlining the principal functions of the authority. I share the concerns that we are adding a whole series of new functions to the authority at the last possible opportunity. I have some concerns about one of them, which we will...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: I want to comment on the remark made by the Minister that free-to-air should mean free-to-air. That is okay for the consumer, but it is not necessarily okay for the broadcaster, because free-to-air is not free-to-air. There is a great deal of expense involved in the provision of product that is broadcast to the consumer on a free-to-air basis. An issue arises for new networks, which will...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: I welcome amendment No. 26, which acknowledges in a very real way the existence of community television in addition to community radio. We are getting rid of the phrase "sound broadcasters", which had limited the functions of the authority to considering needs associated with community radio. It will now be required to consider the needs of both community television and community radio...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: I am glad we have made progress in this area. I accept that the Minister has genuinely tried to take on board some of the points I made on what I would have had regarded as a totally unsustainable proposal in terms of cost to create an Irish film channel with no way of raising money to finance itself and therefore would have to be financed by the Exchequer or another form of levy system. The...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (2 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: I wish to make a brief comment. I am not seeking the Minister to establish an Irish version of Sky Movies. I propose that we have a film channel which is a shop window for the talent we have in Ireland for movie making and all of the other broadcasting talent we have here but which would, where possible, be able to pay for itself. It should try to attract new audiences all the time by...

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: What are we exposing the State to?

Financial Resolution No: 2: Income Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: I wish to emphasise the point made by Deputy Noonan, in terms of the impact of what is proposed in the budget on single income families. The debate we had on tax individualisation a number of years ago when the former Minister, Mr. McCreevy introduced it and the debate which has developed since then comes back onto the table here. If one looks at the annexes provided in the Supplementary...

Financial Resolution No. 4: Mineral Oil Tax (7 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: I do not have a difficulty with the proposed measure relating to tobacco, although I am sceptical that this will result in an 8% reduction in the consumption of cigarettes. The evidence is that as the price has increased, there has not been a corresponding reduction and while I hope there is a corresponding increase in the tax take, I have doubts about that as well, as the black market for...

Written Answers — EU Budget Payments: EU Budget Payments (7 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: Question 66: To ask the Minister for Finance the contribution of payment made by the State to the European Community under the Community own resource provisions in each year from 1993 to date in 2009, including the proposed payment for 2009, with the breakdown of each element of the payment including CCT payment, VAT payment and GNI payment. [14677/09]

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: Question 67: To ask the Minister for Finance the gross expenditure by the State each year from 1993 to date in 2009 including the proposed expenditure for 2009. [14678/09]

Written Answers — EU Budget Payments: EU Budget Payments (7 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: Question 68: To ask the Minister for Finance the payments by the EC to the State in each year from 1993 to date in 2009 including the proposed payments for 2009, with the breakdown of these payments into different categories and sectors. [14679/09]

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: I am glad to have a chance to speak on this debate, which is quite crowded as many people are trying to have their say before we break for Easter. If the Government wants to introduce a budget such as that introduced yesterday, it must have an effective communications strategy if it expects people to accept the kind of hardship it is imposing on them. It expects people to have a bond of...

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: With all due respect, this issue is not about the Green Party but about the country. We are speaking about the people the Government is asking to bail it out.

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: The Green Party has not done anything.

Financial Resolution No. 11: General (Resumed) (8 Apr 2009)

Simon Coveney: This Government's record of achievement is that it has driven the country into recession.