Results 1,541-1,560 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: The amendments under discussion propose that the national transport authority's involvement in the planning process should be the same in all areas of the country and would be based on the arrangements already in place under the 2008 Act for the greater Dublin area. Implicit in these amendments is that the authority would produce a national transport strategy. The Minister's view is that it...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: A point I neglected to make was that under section 29(3) of the Bill before the House, it is envisaged that the intention of the amendment could be considered in the future. Section 29(3) states "Notwithstanding the provisions of section 63 of the Act of 2008, the National Transport Authority shall, at any time at the direction of the Minister, submit a report to the Minister setting out...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I repeat that under the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill presented to this House by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government last May, Louth County Council, for example, must have regard to transport issues when drafting its development and local area plans. As I noted in response to Senator Cannon's comments, it is envisaged that a wider national remit will...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: Section 45 makes some changes to definitions in road traffic legislation but there is nothing about the transfer of functions from one authority to another.

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: The purpose of this amendment to section 64(3) of the Roads Act 1993 is to address a gap in the legislation. It relates to the prosecution of toll offences. By virtue of the way the legislation is worded, in the case of a leasing company that leases a vehicle to another company on a long-term lease, only the first company, which is the registered owner, and the driver of the vehicle can be...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: The suggested amendment would, if accepted, empower the Commission for Taxi Regulation to set a quantitative limit on the number of taxi licences to be issued in a particular year. While the amendment is an enabling provision, it clearly envisages quantitative control of taxi numbers. Such an approach would be contrary to the policy principles underpinning the Taxi Regulation Act 2003,...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: Reference was made to the Goodbody report. I am assured no legal advice would call on the commission to do something which it was not empowered to do or which it would be illegal for it to do. It would be very surprising if advice were given along those lines. As a Dublin person, I walked along the N11 many nights in the bad old days and agree that nobody wants to go back. I am sure some...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: The purpose of item 8 of Schedule 2 is to amend section 55 of the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 to give the newly named advisory committee on small public service vehicles, formerly the advising council to the Commission for Taxi regulation, a role in advising the authority on the preparation and review of the newly named strategy plan under section 28 of the 2003 Act and the draft transport...

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: On behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, I am pleased to be given the opportunity to clarify for the House the position on the funding arrangements for fee-charging Protestant schools. I reassure Senator Norris that I, with my colleagues in government, recognise the importance of ensuring students from a Protestant background can attend a school which...

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: -----and is distributed through the Secondary Education Committee, SEC, established by the churches concerned. This fund ensures necessitous Protestant children can attend a school of their choice. I advise the Senator that officials from the Department of Education and Science have met representatives from the SEC to discuss future funding arrangements for Protestant schools. In this...

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have met Eleanor Petrie and many representatives of the fee paying Protestant schools and this is the first time I have heard wild allegations about conspiracies and sectarianism in the Department of Education and Science.

Seanad: School Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: On the contrary, they have engaged in a very constructive way with the Department and Members of this House in informing and explaining to Members the distinction with regard to Protestant schools in the areas in which they are involved and particularly the demands met in rural areas. The campaign will be part of the deliberative process in the budgetary process. They have also accepted the...

Seanad: Foyle River Development (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: The Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources along with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland are the co-sponsoring Departments for the Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission. The Loughs Agency, as set out in the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999 and the Foyle Fisheries Act 1952, as amended by the Foyle and...

Seanad: Foyle River Development (8 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I must. The Senator is right in that I cannot illuminate the matter further. However, I will undertake to bring it to the Minister's attention.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the implementation of the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme which is being introduced in January 2010. Children will qualify for the free pre-school year where they are aged between 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months at the start of each academic year. The application of age range is being...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: The role and functions of the Adoption Board are set out in the Adoption Acts 1952 – 1998 and matters relating to the domestic adoption of a child are a matter for the Board.

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: In October 2008, during the course of the IAA conference, I was introduced to Dr. Long, the then Director of the Department of International Adoption within the Vietnamese Government. I had no substantive discussions with him. An official of my Office had a courtesy meeting with Dr Long during his time in Ireland and outlined the developments underway regarding the draft provisions of the...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have recently received, in draft form, a report of an examination of intercountry adoption in Vietnam carried out by the International Social Services (ISS). The Report was commissioned by UNICEF in co-ordination with the Ministry of Justice of Vietnam. It aims, inter alia, to "identify and address problems in both domestic and Intercountry Adoption processes with a view to assisting...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: In late August, I was made aware of two significant Reports regarding child welfare, protection and adoption in Vietnam. Firstly, the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, with technical assistance from UNICEF in Vietnam, published a Report known as the 'MoLISA Report'. The Report found that, inter alia: there are no detailed principles or criteria to guide the...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (13 Oct 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have no plans to provide financial assistance to parents seeking to adopt children internationally. The Adoption Bill 2009 which, I envisage will come before the Dail in the current session provides for the payment of fees to agencies involved in Intercountry Adoption. This may assist in producing a more streamlined and cost effective process for Intercountry Adoption.