Results 1,881-1,900 of 2,815 for speaker:Tony Killeen

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: As Senator Cannon will be aware, Dublin-Galway services are commercial. Direct-award contracts are for a period of five years only and are already provided for in the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008. All new services are to be put out to tender. One tends to forget there is a review clause applying to the operation of existing contracts. The purpose of section 28(1)(g) is to provide...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: The duration of the contract is five years rather than ten, which has been a concern for a number of Senators. It can be reviewed or altered by the authority at any stage, which is important. The CIE companies are obliged to pass an efficient operator test and it is very important for existing services to continue where their operation is urgently needed. The other important consideration...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: Is the Deputy running?

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: The lost at sea scheme was a limited scheme introduced in June 2001, with a closing date of 31 December 2001. Its objective was to enable qualifying applicants, who were otherwise unable to do so for financial or related reasons, to continue a family tradition of sea-fishing. The scheme provided replacement capacity, gross tons and kilowatts, that the applicant would otherwise have had to...

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: They further read: (f) the applicant has been unable also, for verified financial or related reasons, since the inception of the new registration system, to acquire a fishing vessel to engage in sea fishing of the same class or description as was carried out by the vessel lost at sea-----

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: -----or any other sea fishing vessel which is subject to the replacement policy regime; (g) the applicant did not receive any financial benefit from the loss. The capacity of a fishing vessel lost at sea will be accepted as replacement capacity for licensing purposes only if it is to be used for the purposes of sustaining or maintaining a family tradition of sea fishing. Any capacity...

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: The Department is corresponding with the Ombudsman's office with regard to this scheme and the matter has not been concluded. Detailed legal advice was sought from the Attorney General's office, was considered and acted upon. It would be virtually impossible to answer the Deputy's question in detail, for a number of reasons. There are perhaps three considerations of some importance, two of...

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: That might come into play. That is one element of the answer to the point made by Deputy Sheahan. Second, apart from the closing date that was not met by the applicant in question, it is difficult to speculate what judgments will be made regarding other applicants who might not have met other conditions of the scheme. It is impossible to know how many there were. It is also important to...

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: It is a very common error. People assume in these cases that a quota was provided rather than financial recompense. What was provided was tonnage and kilowatt hours, which is considerably different in many respects. A condition was imposed on the scheme which I understand was included at the insistence of the Minister, namely, that it could not be tradeable or otherwise disposed of to the...

Teagasc Issues. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: The Government has not made any decisions regarding implementation of the recommendations in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programme as they concern Teagasc. The 2010 Estimates process is under way and measures to secure savings in the public finances will be considered in that context. It is not possible at this stage to comment on the specific...

Teagasc Issues. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: The remit of Teagasc is very wide, as Deputy Sherlock rightly said. Considerable emphasis is being placed on co-operation with other third level colleges and universities with regard to research, but also co-operation on development with agrifood businesses both in this country and abroad. A substantial element of the programme of Teagasc in the revised programme will be directing some of...

Teagasc Issues. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: As I explained, the Minister's role is a policy one; the board of Teagasc has a particular role. The document which sets out the remit and functions of Teagasc to 2030 considers issues and areas referred to by Deputy Creed and previously by Deputy Sherlock. It charts a course for Teagasc which clearly includes an input from recently qualified graduates and others who have a contribution to...

Teagasc Issues. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: Members will be aware the report has been presented to Government but has not in any sense been sanctioned by it at this stage. The consideration of the report can only happen in any realistic sense in the context of the consideration of the budgets for 2010, 2011 and subsequent years. There is no other way it could be done. The governance of Teagasc is, in the first instance, the...

Aquaculture Industry. (21 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Brian O'Shea as ucht an ábhar thábhachtach seo a chur os comhair na Dála agus deis a thabhairt dom freagra a thabhairt air. Let me assure this House that I am actively working to address the current challenges and my objective is to have a scheme in place that will enable grant aid support to be made available to the sector in 2010. First, it is important...

Harbours and Piers. (4 Nov 2009)

Tony Killeen: The Fishery Harbour Centres Act 1968 made provision for the establishment, maintenance and management of the fishery harbour centres fund. Orders made under the Act have provided for the transfer to the fund of all property, rights and liabilities within the six fishery harbour centres. By way of statutory instrument, responsibility for Howth harbour was transferred from the Commissioners...

Schools Building Projects. (4 Nov 2009)

Tony Killeen: I am happy to reply on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, who cannot be present, unfortunately. I thank Deputy McGrath for raising this matter and giving me an opportunity to outline to the Dáil the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects, particularly the proposed project at Scoil losaf Naofa, Ballintemple...

School Transport. (4 Nov 2009)

Tony Killeen: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State responsible for lifelong learning, Deputy Haughey. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to clarify the general position regarding post-primary school transport for children residing in the area referred to by the Deputy. The Deputy will be aware that the provision...

Seanad: Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (18 Nov 2009)

Tony Killeen: The Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Bill 2009 will transfer certain foreshore functions from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In addition, it will transfer responsibility for the Dumping at Sea Acts to the Environmental Protection Agency. Other than the transfer of functions and the modernisation...

Seanad: Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (18 Nov 2009)

Tony Killeen: I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Members of the Seanad for facilitating the introduction of this Bill at this stage because, as a number of speakers said, there is some urgency attached to dealing with the matter. I am delighted to have this opportunity to introduce the Bill and I thank the Senators who contributed to the debate. Senator Bradford asked about the reason for the delay in...

Seanad: Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Nov 2009)

Tony Killeen: I should point out that the objective of the Bill is to transfer specific foreshore functions from this Department to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and to transfer the dumping at sea functions to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has already indicated his intention to reform significantly...