Results 21,721-21,740 of 23,109 for speaker:Paddy Burke

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I am not clear on what the Minister of State has said. Provision is made for grants to the commission or for levies to be introduced. Could the Minister of State envisage circumstances in which the commission would need to borrow? I ask him to give the House an example?

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I move amendment No. 6: In page 26, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following new subsection: "(4) The Minister shall supply to one or both Houses of the Oireachtas such information regarding the performance of the Commission's functions as may from time to time be required by a member of either House.". I spoke on Second Stage about the issue of the commission being accountable to the...

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I thank the Minister of State for his outline of the case. However, annual reports are issued at the rate of a dime a dozen, all glossy magazines that, no doubt, are well put together but read by nobody. Oireachtas Members are accountable to the public and need to get information, but the only real way they can get it is either through a parliamentary question or an Adjournment debate....

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I will withdraw amendment No. 6 in line with his comments.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I move amendment No. 19: In page 44, between lines 46 and 47, to insert the following new subsection: "(3) Where a member of staff of a railway undertaking furnishes relevant information to the Commission or an inspector— (a) following a railway incident, (b) which, in the opinion of the person, may lead to a railway incident, the person shall not be subject to disciplinary or any other...

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State's remarks and I withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I move amendment No. 24: In page 55, between lines 38 and 39, to insert the following new paragraphs: "(b) requirements for the maintenance and inspection of railway infrastructure, rail track, permanent way and rolling stock, (c) the maximum carrying capacity for both passenger and freight trains, (d) the maximum hours of work and the minimum hours of rest for safety critical staff,"....

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State's comments because his Department is the expert on this matter. There are problems with overcapacity, particularly on some passenger trains. I am glad he pointed out that he believes it is covered in section 69(c). If the Minister of State is happy with it, I am satisfied. Iarnród Éireann appears to be moving out of the freight business. Does this Bill have...

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I move amendment No. 25: In page 56, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following new paragraph: "(h) requirements to avoid accidental obstruction of railway infrastructure by road vehicles by establishing- (i) criteria for the apportionment of responsibility and cost of improvements to be made at locations where roads meet, cross or run close to railways, (ii) guidelines on enhanced risk...

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: We might find ourselves dealing with level crossings in a different section of the Bill — possibly section 128. If a car, lorry or tractor broke down on a level crossing and an accident occurred, would the railway safety commission have the power to decide which party was responsible for it? It could be a case of a barrier or a signal not working or a gate being improperly opened or closed....

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I move amendment No. 28: In page 63, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following new subsection: "(7) A railway undertaking shall not use commercial considerations as a cause for not complying with section 36.". This minor amendment is self-explanatory. We have already dealt with section 36 and I hope the Minister of State will be able to accept this amendment.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: As the Minister of State has stated, we cannot have a situation where commercial interests override the safety issue. If the Minister of State believes my amendment is covered in the sections to which he refers I am prepared to withdraw the amendment. The amendment is technical and a minor adjustment and the Minister of State could accept the amendment without interfering with the Bill.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: This section deals with testing for drugs. Does this cover breath testing train drivers? I am sure the section covers testing for drink and drugs. I welcomed this section on Second Stage as we have seen the drug scene grow throughout the country.

Seanad: Hospital Services. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Departmental Properties. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the amendment. With regard to the old borrowing limit, did CIE always borrow to the limit? Was it in excess of its borrowing limit or was the limit ever reached?

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: That is a typical civil servant's answer.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: On the section, I am not happy that my amendment was ruled out of order because of its financial implications and I will consider resubmitting it on Report Stage. The Minister of State might also consider the matter in the meantime. I made a point on Second Stage about unmanned level crossings, of which there are quite a number in my own county around Claremorris and Castlebar where a...

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (16 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: The Minister of State proposes to insert a new section for, I have no doubt, very good reasons. However, this area will open up the issue of control between local authorities and Iarnród Éireann. For a long time local authorities and Iarnród Éireann have been slow to co-operate. The buck has been passed back and forth from one to the other. This situation has bedevilled railway works,...

Seanad: Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (10 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, before section 1, to insert the following new section: "1.—In this Act— 'the Act of 1993' means the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993; 'the Act of 1998' means the Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Act 1998.". I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Callely, to the House. On Second Stage I said that we have no problem...