Results 2,881-2,900 of 4,672 for speaker:Dessie Ellis

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Bank Debt Restructuring (3 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: 47. To ask the Minister for Finance if he has considered requesting that the ESM take on the tracker loan book off Irish banks. [41502/13]

Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Second Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I am deputising for my colleague Deputy Mary Lou McDonald who has other engagements. This is good legislation. Coupled with the Protected Disclosures Bill, or the whistleblowers Bill, and the lobbying Bill, it goes some way to recognising the heightened expectation of accountability and transparency from the political system. The programme for Government committed to restoring the...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 15:In page 63, line 5, after "2009." to insert the following:"Any excess income after expenses will where possible be used by way of grant schemes to offset a portion of the cost to licence holders in meeting standards in relation to branding and vehicle conditions.".

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: There have been a significant amount of extra costs in the taxi sector. There is a charge of €135 for an internal examination, a €50 charge for the NCT test and €500 to €600 for radios, etc. There is also a signage charge of approximately €60. There is a fund that was handed over to the NTA. Some of it goes on administration, but there should be some way...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 16:In page 65, line 24, to delete "small public service vehicle and driver interests" and substitute "single licence holder drivers".

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: There are 18 persons on the advisory committee, four of whom represent the taxi drivers. Some of those four represent not only themselves but multiple taxi licence holders.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: Single taxi licence holders do not have enough representation there and I ask the Minister of State to consider looking into that further. They need more representation, and the groups I have met say the same. If there are 16 to 18 persons on the advisory committee, although the different interests represented are good and I welcome their input, the balance is not weighted strongly enough...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 17:In page 65, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following:"(b) at least 1 person representing the interests of the multiple taxi licence holders,".

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 18:In page 65, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following:"(f) the chairperson shall be required to attend a special meeting of the responsible Oireachtas Committee at least once every two years from the commencement of this section. All other members of the Advisory Committee shall also be available to attend these special meetings at the request of the Oireachtas...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I thank the Minister for his reply. There have been massive changes and, overall, the Bill is a good one. There are many good ideas in the Bill. However, we are in the early stages of seeing the overall effects of many of these changes, such as the penalty points, and it would be appropriate that the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications look at this on a regular...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 13:In page 39, line 21, after “convicted” to insert “excluding convictions relating to offences covered by the terms of the Good Friday Agreement 1998”.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 12:In page 37, line 11, after “subsection” to insert “which is not covered by the terms of the Good Friday Agreement 1998”.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: Yes.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 11:In page 36, line 2, after "offence" to insert "not covered by the terms of the Good Friday Agreement 1998".

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 10: In page 35, between lines 36 and 37, to insert the following:“(d) excluding offences covered by the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.”.

Other Questions: Diplomatic Representation Issues (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: 37. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide more details on the detention of members of the Halawa family in Egypt; details of official visits these Irish citizens received from the Irish Embassy in Cairo; and if he discussed their detention with the Egyptian ambassador to Ireland. [41163/13]

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: Rural people are not forgotten. We have been making the argument that in rural areas there are different circumstances. I wish to ask the Minister of State about his plans to introduce a third licence in rural areas. There is a concern that taxi and hackney drivers will lose out as a result of the introduction of the third licence. Will the Minister of State explain whether they will be...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I move amendment No. 8: In page 25, to delete lines 7 and 8.

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: I am glad to hear the Minister of State has made it clear there will be no such thing as an obligatory dress code in the future, as feared. The regulations have meant that vehicles have been brought to a certain standard, but drivers look after themselves and dress in a proper fashion. Any taxi drivers I have ever met have always reached a high standard. There was a fear we would impose...

Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (2 Oct 2013)

Dessie Ellis: The Minister has indicated changes to the specifications for wheelchair-accessible taxis. Any time we hear this, it means it will cost more. The Minister of State should discuss the VRT exemption proposal with the Minister for Finance. Extra costs have been put on the whole industry. Even now, anyone getting into the industry must have a car that is one to three years old, and then must...