Results 1,961-1,980 of 2,438 for speaker:Caít Keane

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Humphreys, to the House. I listened to the earlier Stage of the debate. I thank him for agreeing to consider amendment No. 1. Like others who have spoken I will not pretend I am an expert but I have done a lot of reading, looked at submissions and I have listened to people. I wish to refer to research and I ask Members to think about it. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Planning and Development (No. 2) Bill 2014: Discussion (3 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I welcome the witnesses who are appearing before the committee. It is welcome that all the planning recommendations in the Mahon tribunal will be implemented. It is sad that people who do planning have to be regulated and that we cannot be self-regulating.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Planning and Development (No. 2) Bill 2014: Discussion (3 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: How much time do I have?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Planning and Development (No. 2) Bill 2014: Discussion (3 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: As it is only 3 p.m. I will be well finished.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Planning and Development (No. 2) Bill 2014: Discussion (3 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: It is pity we need to have a regulator over planning and that the people who are elected and selected and have jobs in planning and so on cannot be trusted to do the right thing. It is a fact in all spheres of life that we have to have regulators and we have all seen what happened with crashes. It is welcome that we will have a regulator. Sometimes the regional planning guidelines and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Planning and Development (No. 2) Bill 2014: Discussion (3 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: What are the timeline dates on the national planning framework?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Planning and Development (No. 2) Bill 2014: Discussion (3 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I am concerned about private developments which are not to be taken in charge and which are currently covered under the Multi-Unit Developments Act and also circumstances where developers' interests have been taken over by NAMA and where there is no bond and where there is nothing left. Some residents took out insurance with development management companies and a week prior to this being up...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Planning and Development (No. 2) Bill 2014: Discussion (3 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: Under section 183 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, an estate can be taken in charge in circumstances where 80% of residents indicate their assent. This mechanism was only used once in South Dublin County Council and I tabled the motion in respect of it. Is that a constitutional right of a person in an apartment? Section 183 refers to 80% of the signatories being taken-in-charge....

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I welcome the initiative to prevent below-cost selling of alcohol. The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 is one of the most important Bills we have seen. I am aware that there has been criticism that it has not gone far enough, but one has to start somewhere. As well as providing for low-cost selling, the ban on advertising, the warning on the labels and the calorie counts will have the...

Seanad: Overseas Development: Statements (4 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this important subject and congratulate the Minister of State on the work he has done since his appointment. Even in difficult times, we have not cut our budget, which shows where our priorities lie. When Ireland was suffering, we liked receiving external help. Under budget 2015, there has been no reduction in the overall level of ODA. More than...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Pyrite Remediation Programme: Pyrite Resolution Board (10 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I welcome the inclusion of south Dublin in the scheme although the fact it is there is sad in itself. The standards that are being implemented come in two parts - part 1 and part 2 I understand - for sub-floor and the testing of the sub-floor. Is there any scientific geological survey of the country to find out exactly from where the pyrite emanates? We have inspections and architects and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Pyrite Remediation Programme: Pyrite Resolution Board (10 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I have another brief question. If one has an older house and is not aware if pyrite is present one can pay the RPI to provide testing. Is that facility available for this as well?

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I welcome a debate on the Office of the Attorney General, which applies not to one person but to four.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: Then we should not imply, as a Senator did, that the Attorney General wakes up in the morning and makes statements off her own bat. She is advised by the Advisory Counsels, the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government, the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and-----

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I would like to know how one Senator can make a whole statement on the issue and another Senator cannot comment on it.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I raise another important issue, energy. The EU directive requires that by 2020, 16% of our energy must come from renewable sources. Only 7.1% of our energy comes from renewables. Today, Apple has invested $700 billion in solar energy and will create a plant in San Francisco, which will do good for the world and climate change. I congratulate Dublin City Council which also announced today...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: Members should Google Jody Corcoran's good article on wind energy. May we have a debate on the issue?

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: As the Leader has said, I am trying to avoid being told, while debating the gambling control Bill, that I should have raised the matter here. I refer to online gambling and the huge money being generated therefrom that is not being taxed or having duty taken from it at present. I am trying to make the point that €25 million is raised annually on online betting and Members must ensure...

Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (11 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I thank the Labour Party for proposing the motion. It is important we keep it on the agenda. Housing remains a key priority for the Government and for the Minister of State, Deputy Coffey, which I am sure he will say himself. The supply of affordable houses in areas where they are needed is also a key objective. The Government has been reformist in its housing proposals with the...

Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (11 Feb 2015)

Caít Keane: I have not even started to speak about what I wanted to speak about, including what we are going to do about social housing. Waiting lists for social housing had increased but are now on the way down. We have to ensure they are reduced further. Again it is down to supply. Another Senator mentioned NAMA. NAMA has come up trumps and has, particularly in the Dublin area, offered more than...