Results 1,641-1,660 of 1,934 for speaker:Tom Shehan

Seanad: Flooding and Flood Prevention Measures: Statements (20 Sep 2012)

Tom Shehan: As this debate is on flooding and flood prevention, that is what I will speak about.

Seanad: Flooding and Flood Prevention Measures: Statements (20 Sep 2012)

Tom Shehan: I will keep to the aspect of flood prevention if I may. The two places nearest to me where I have seen huge investment are Fermoy and Mallow. For years people in these areas stated nothing could be done to prevent the flooding there, but lo and behold the engineers and experts have changed the lives of the people. Large amounts were spent and extensive works carried out, but it is good...

Seanad: Flooding and Flood Prevention Measures: Statements (20 Sep 2012)

Tom Shehan: Dé Máirt seo chugainn ar 2.30 p.m.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: I join colleagues who have called for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to attend the House. One issue I would raise in a debate with him is the waste of public moneys. Recently, the Dublin Airport Authority, for example, painted a fire tender and then after six months repainted it to its original colour. This cost ¤7,000. The Department of Social Protection made welfare...

Seanad: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Statements (9 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: I call Senator Michael Mullins who has eight minutes.

Seanad: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Statements (9 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: According to the rota, the next speaker will be an Independent Senator from the universities panel but there is no one offering and therefore we went on to the second rota.

Seanad: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Statements (9 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: If you wish but I am trying to do my best and go by the rota.

Seanad: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Statements (9 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: Senator Reilly has been present for the entire debate and perhaps we should allow ladies go first.

Seanad: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Statements (9 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: I call Senator Reilly who has eight minutes.

Seanad: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Statements (9 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: I call Senator Michael Mullins who has eight minutes.

Seanad: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Statements (9 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: I will also confine my contribution to the disorder of the banking sector. I recently wrote to the CEO of Permanent TSB following representations to me by constituents who have banked with TSB all their lives and wished to branch into business. The people concerned were informed two days after visiting the bank to open a business account that they could not do so and were encouraged to take...

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

Tom Shehan: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

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

Tom Shehan: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As one of the more vocal Members on the rates issue, I got excited when I saw this Bill. Nevertheless, I am disappointed. All is not lost, as amendments could be worked through with the Minister, but we could have been more imaginative. I look at business every day and there are people who struggle while others may be working out of a small...

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

Tom Shehan: Yes. How can a businessman at the top of the High Street continue to pay his rates if the fellow at the bottom of New Street is not paying his rates because he cannot do so?

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

Tom Shehan: If we are talking about transparency, we have to be honest about this. I agree very much with the outsourcing of elements of the work. The provision regarding estimating the net annual value of groups of properties needs to be examined because the valuation comes down to the best achievable rents and rents have fallen. Will there be an all-encompassing sweep to collect rates from people who...

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

Tom Shehan: The self-assessment process should be rolled out. I would like the Minister of State to take account of people's fears about the powers that will be bestowed on the commissioner and about the right of appeal and access to appeal. I will leave it at that for now but I may have to speak again on this.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (17 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: As the Minister brought up this subject, we are giving more powers to the Ombudsman's office yet the Ombudsman's decisions or recommendations are neither binding nor legally enforceable. Would the Minister consider that recommendations and findings by the Ombudsman's office should be binding? I refer to the point he raised in the previous Administration in 2009 about the lost at sea scheme....

Seanad: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (17 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: I ask the Cathaoirleach to bear with me because it was the Minister who made reference to it. The Ombudsman's findings came back before the House but the previous Government, in protecting one of its own, voted down the Ombudsman's recommendation.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (17 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: Why are we giving more power to the Ombudsman when her recommendations can be thrown out with the bath water, so to speak, and not taken on board when they come before these Houses? In 1984, John Boland, who was then Minister for the Public Service, said that he would not provide legislation for the Ombudsman's recommendations to be legally binding or legally enforceable because he found it...

Seanad: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (17 Oct 2012)

Tom Shehan: Would the Minister consider reopening the lost at sea scheme?