Results 22,301-22,320 of 23,109 for speaker:Paddy Burke

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (15 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: I thank the Minister of State for the way he dealt with this important Bill and for the great insight he gave us into all aspects of it. Four main speed limits will be put in place as a result of the enactment of this legislation as follows: the 50 km/h which will replace the 30 mph limit; the new 80 km/h limit; the 100 km/h which will replace the existing 60 mph limit on national primary and...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (15 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: I am just coming to the point. The Minister of State has promised to run an efficient advertising campaign in the new year to bring home the importance of the changes to the public. He also referred to a meter to convert speeds from miles per hour to kilometres per hour. I hope the campaign will commence immediately after Christmas because the new limits will be confusing for members of the...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (15 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: The Minister of State without interruption, please.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (15 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: The Minister of State to continue without interruption.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (15 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: The Minister of State to continue without interruption.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (15 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: The Minister of State to continue without interruption.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: Amendment No. 117 is consequential on amendment No. 118 and they may be discussed together by agreement.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: Have we discussed section 106?

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: We are discussing section 105.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: Does this section not seem to politicise the Garda Síochána? This section and the amendment proposed to it gives power to the Minister to play a hands-on role in the operation of the Garda Síochána. Subsection (1)(a) provides that the Minister will have a say, after consulting with the Garda Commissioner and the Government, on the different ranks into which the members of the Garda...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: It is difficult to see how it will ensure greater transparency because I do not believe the Minister of the day had any say in the promotion of members of the Garda Síochána to the rank of Garda sergeant or superintendent. However, this section and the proposed amendment to it provides that the Minister, after consultation with the Commissioner, could have a say in the promotion of a member...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: Senator Walsh makes a very good point. The making of appointments under Better Local Government has been a disaster from many points of view. It has divided local authority staff as between people who were promoted and people who were not. People believe the promotions were in no way transparent. Will the promotion boards be set up on an area basis or on a national basis? Will there be a...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: The Minister recently increased the age threshold for entry to the Garda Síochána. I understand that the retirement age is 57 and that gardaí with a minimum of 30 years service are eligible for a full pension. Increasing the threshold for entry means that somebody who has entered the Garda Síochána at 30 years of age will have only 27 years service and will not, therefore, be entitled to...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: I appreciate that. The Minister made great play of the fact that he was increasing the age limit and I thoroughly agree with him. However, members of the Garda Síochána must resign on reaching the age of 57. If people who have reached the age of 30 have entered the Garda Síochána and served 27 years, the Minister will have no choice but to let them serve until they are 60 so that they can...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: To the extent that the legislation is necessary to address the problem to which Senator Brady has just referred, I welcome it. How did the Minister of State compile the statistics that indicate there is a five-year supply of serviced land remaining nationally and an eight-year supply of such land in the Dublin region? What do the figures mean? We are now building approximately 70,000 houses...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: There are about five years left. If we are building an average of——

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: If no more services are being provided, there are only five years left before the supply runs out. I am delighted that the Minister of State clarified that supply and demand will dictate house prices. It took two Bacon reports to tell us how to reduce house prices. The Minister of State outlined how to do so in a few lines and stated that the Central Bank has predicted that an increase in...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: Amendments Nos. 102 and 103 are related and both may be discussed together by agreement.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: Amendment No. 105 is in the name of Senator Tuffy. The Government has also submitted this amendment. It has already been discussed with amendment No. 84.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Paddy Burke: Government amendment No. 105: In page 47, subsection (4)(a)(x), line 36, to delete "necessary for" and substitute "relevant to".