Results 1,761-1,780 of 4,676 for speaker:Dessie Ellis

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (1 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: 471. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding progress in fulfilling the request of the Oireachtas Environment Committee that he ask all local authorities to provide detailed explanations of the reason they have not drawn down their allocations for Traveller Housing and to request all local authorities to inform him of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (1 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: 472. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if, as per the Environment Committee's recommendation in May, he has agreed to introduce regulations requiring local authorities in future to give a detailed explanation of the reason they have not spent/drawn or down moneys allocated to them by his Department; the steps they have taken to provide housing to members...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 2:In page 15, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following:“(d) excluding for consideration under this section any conviction covered by the terms of the Good Friday Agreement 1998;”.I have raised this with the Minister of State on numerous occasions. The amendment concerns the Good Friday Agreement and ex-prisoners. I have made the point many times...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: We keep raising the issue of the courts, the expense that would entail in bringing persons through that process and the time it would take if somebody was sought and brought through in this fashion. I asked the Minister of State previously about providing for some independent way of dealing with these issues so as not to have to refer to the courts all the time. It would be good if he...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: The Minister of State has repeatedly referred to the Seanad debate in terms of our tabling amendments; I have the evidence that we did.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I am talking about the Seanad debate on the Taxi Regulation Bill 2012.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: Okay. Certainly, my party's position is clear. We have outlined it time out of number. The Minister of State is well aware of it and he has refused to do this, even though his party was a signatory of the Good Friday Agreement. In stating the Government will look at the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill 2012 he is passing the buck. I just do not accept that.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I have previously put down amendments very similar in nature to this and I support the principle of this amendment. The Minister of State has spoken about cutting down the numbers of taxis as there are too many at present. If people with full-time jobs are allowed to work in the industry, it amounts to double-jobbing, which can lead to people having problems with fatigue or other health...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: Judging drivers on the basis of having another job that involved driving would not necessarily work. They could have other jobs that would lead to fatigue and that is my worry. That needs to be examined further. The issue is not about part-time drivers. Nobody was saying part-time drivers should be excluded. However, taxi drivers who have part-time or full-time jobs use the bus lanes to...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I agree with Deputy Boyd Barrett about amendment No. 5. It would not be a good idea to remove the ability to suspend taxi drivers. I am concerned about demerit points. Local authorities provide very few taxi ranks. The rank at the Gresham Hotel is to be removed. We will impose a system after the accumulation of eight points which could be for people parking illegally or otherwise but we...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I support this amendment. It would appear that the number of wheelchair-accessible taxis is reducing. In the past, the Government provided grants to taxi drivers to provide wheelchair-accessible services. I also have concerns about those organisations with charitable status which are undercutting taxi drivers. In my opinion, they are abusing their position and that should be examined...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: The Minister has indicated changes to the specifications for wheelchair-accessible taxis. Any time we hear this, it means it will cost more. The Minister of State should discuss the VRT exemption proposal with the Minister for Finance. Extra costs have been put on the whole industry. Even now, anyone getting into the industry must have a car that is one to three years old, and then must...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 8: In page 25, to delete lines 7 and 8.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I am glad to hear the Minister of State has made it clear there will be no such thing as an obligatory dress code in the future, as feared. The regulations have meant that vehicles have been brought to a certain standard, but drivers look after themselves and dress in a proper fashion. Any taxi drivers I have ever met have always reached a high standard. There was a fear we would impose...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: Rural people are not forgotten. We have been making the argument that in rural areas there are different circumstances. I wish to ask the Minister of State about his plans to introduce a third licence in rural areas. There is a concern that taxi and hackney drivers will lose out as a result of the introduction of the third licence. Will the Minister of State explain whether they will be...

Other Questions: Diplomatic Representation Issues (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: 37. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide more details on the detention of members of the Halawa family in Egypt; details of official visits these Irish citizens received from the Irish Embassy in Cairo; and if he discussed their detention with the Egyptian ambassador to Ireland. [41163/13]

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 10: In page 35, between lines 36 and 37, to insert the following:“(d) excluding offences covered by the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.”.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 11:In page 36, line 2, after "offence" to insert "not covered by the terms of the Good Friday Agreement 1998".

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 12:In page 37, line 11, after “subsection” to insert “which is not covered by the terms of the Good Friday Agreement 1998”.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: Yes.