Results 2,701-2,720 of 5,388 for speaker:John Deasy

Order of Business (25 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: I understand that but I am conscious of the damage that will be done with the revaluation process currently underway by the Valuation Office. The Bill has been drafted and introduced because it provides for a better way of assessment - self-assessment by businesses. This is extremely important because businesses will go to the wall under the existing system of revaluation by the Valuation...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: The issue I wish to raise relates to the Valuation Office and what it is doing nationally. Representatives of that office appear before this committee on occasion and it is a number of years since they were last here. The office has begun a systematic revaluation of property as it relates to commercial rates in the country. Parts of Dublin, Limerick and Waterford have now been revalued.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: The city and county of Waterford. It is based on a 2011 analysis but it has become very problematic. I am not exaggerating when I say that in the region worst affected by the recession, the sector most badly affected within that region, the retail sector, has been very negatively affected by this process. In some cases, the retail sector in Waterford city and county has seen commercial...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: If memory serves me correctly, our biggest criticism of the Valuation Office when it came before us was that it was not doing its work quickly enough. It was a different time, even two years ago and the difficulties in the retail sector have worsened considerably since then. We need to take a look at the implications that something like this has for a sector of society.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: At the very least, contact the office and determine whether it, and by extension, the Department of Finance, takes these issues into consideration. I am dealing with Waterford city, parts of which have an unemployment rate of between 30% and 35%. The unemployment problem is enormous. A State body is, in fairness, only doing its job and is undertaking an exercise which made perfect sense in...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: Administrative efficiencies are not really the problem. I know I am straying into policy with my remarks, which I do not want to do because I know that is outside the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General. However, there is an issue here for this committee. There is a larger issue in terms of the Government spend involved here and it is legitimate to examine that. I do not think...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: Fair enough. I want to be clear about the administrative procedures at this committee. We have a work plan in place. We are going to include that in the report we do on banking. That will be completed within two weeks. Everything Mr. Elderfield said and the issues he raised will be included in that. Can we get the timeline on that? Will we send that to the different agencies,...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: After that, do we invite the Departments in to-----

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: People in these agencies and Departments read newspapers. They will have read what Mr. Elderfield said. I am sure people in the Department of Justice and Equality will either disagree violently with it or will say it is very interesting and will ask if there was something they missed or if there is something they can do. It is so important for people who were victims of what happened over...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: My contribution is not related specifically to the last two items but it is germane to the discussion. Mr. Matthew Elderfield appeared before the committee last week and was questioned by me and Deputy Donohoe on prosecutions over the past five years and the lack of progress in bringing people before the courts and attaining prosecutions. He made some comments that were so weighty that they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: South-East Economic Development Strategy Report: Discussion (18 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: I will try to be as narrow and specific as I possibly can, given that the discussion is broad and there is very little time. I thank the witnesses for being present today. I will start with Mr. Joe Crockett. He spoke about the general issue of harmonisation of national, regional and local policies, which is critical. I have been thinking about that myself. Ms Widger gave two specific...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology Issues (18 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: 142. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to improve the practical skills of third level graduates in the information communications technology sector before they enter the workplace. [29152/13]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (18 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: 190. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a new European Commission study, The Gender Gap in Pensions in the EU, indicates that Irish women aged 65 years and over receive an average pension which is 35% lower than the average for Irish men in the same age group; her view on the reason for this imbalance; and the efforts being made to...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Fisheries Protection (18 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: 260. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his policy regarding the culling of seals to protect fish stocks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29143/13]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fishing Rights (18 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: 270. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the legal position regarding public access and fishing rights as they apply to naturally occurring lakes here. [29144/13]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Staff (18 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: 340. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline in further detail the number and type of jobs to be created by the new Irish Water utility company; and the latest timeframe for recruitment to these positions. [29147/13]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Anti-Social Behaviour (18 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: 390. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline the legal position regarding the powers of an Garda Síochána to deal with anti-social behaviour in private residential streets and estates; and the avenues of civil redress citizens may pursue. [29148/13]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation Refurbishment (18 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: 391. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding planning for the proposed extension and refurbishment of Waterford Courthouse; what the development will entail; the estimated total cost; and when he expects the project to commence construction. [29149/13]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Data (18 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: 454. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received and approved, by county, under the milk production targeted agricultural modernisation scheme in 2011 and 2012. [29145/13]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Milk Quota Application Numbers (18 Jun 2013)

John Deasy: 455. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received and approved, by county, under the scheme for the allocation of milk quota to new entrants in 2011 and 2012. [29146/13]