Results 29,901-29,920 of 33,392 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Colleagues have the exact references for each of these amendments and, from a brief consideration, will see that they are technical amendments to subsections that were incorrectly numbered. By introducing these amendments, we will ensure that the numbering is correct.

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Senator for not tabling this amendment. As I have said, the main reason I am not in a position to accept it is that its acceptance would have consequences for other important legislation. I would like to respond briefly to the point he made about road safety legislation. Before I came to the Seanad this morning, I attended a meeting of the Joint Committee on Transport and...

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: This amendment relates to section 20(3), which provides that "a clamping appeals officer shall, subject to section 21(2) and (3), be independent in the performance of his or her functions under this section." I am proposing to remove the words "subject to section 21(2) and (3)" because I believe the requirement for the appeals officer to be independent in the performance of his or her...

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Senator Barrett has made a good point, and I will come back on Report Stage with an amendment to reflect it. Section 16(1) of the Bill refers to the release period. It states, "as soon as reasonably practicable", but there is a provision in subsection (2) regarding the release time for a vehicle that has been relocated. Senator Barrett has identified an omission in the Bill. In describing...

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: This is a very interesting amendment which was considered carefully by me and my officials because it goes to the heart of an important point regarding road safety legislation. The Senator is focusing on section 16(4) which states that if a vehicle is stolen, the person who owns the vehicle is not subject to the clamping fee if he or she can state that their vehicle was stolen. As currently...

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I certainly believe it would be in order for the Senator to give her view, once the body is set up, on the power that it would be able to use. I would go further and say that given that this Bill very much reflects the input of the Oireachtas transport committee, it would be a good morning's work, on enactment of the Bill which will give the NTA such powers, to invite the representatives of...

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I agree with the Senator's first point. Greater clarity needs to be brought to the practice that is allowed in the non-statutory areas and how it should work. Speaking as someone who has been clamped on two occasions, as I said on Second Stage, a particular area that should be examined is the appeals process in respect of the non-statutory areas. The Senator gave the example of a person...

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I will respond to the Senator's point. A university campus would be a non-statutory area. It is part of the amendment we are discussing and therefore it is a relevant point. It sounds as if it was a counterproductive day for those people who went along to the university to check it out and then to had that experience. The reason I cannot prescribe such a provision in the Bill is that if I...

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Senator Barrett’s description of the operation of this Bill is correct. His amendments refer to the clamp release and relocation charges would be in non-statutory areas. If he went on to say in those areas where the NTA does not exercise its power to put in place a fee a foundation of this Bill is that it would lead to the introduction of default charges. In the absence of the NTA...

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Senator for the amendments he has tabled. To give some context, as the Senator is aware, he has tabled nine amendments to this Bill in total. I believe three later amendments in particular contain proposals and thinking that will improve the Bill. I will revert to those particular three amendments on Report Stage, with the Senator's consent, to ascertain how they can be...

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: This is a technical amendment which corrects an incorrect reference to a subsection. It specifically proposes, on page 7, line 26, to delete section 35(a) and replace it with section 33(a).

Seanad: Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014: Committee Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The amendment contains two particular points. First, on page 13, line 33, to delete the word "or." Second, on page 13, line 35, after the word duties to insert the following: "or a vehicle used in connection with the operation of electronic or other apparatus referred to in section 81(1) of the Road Traffic Act 2010 under an agreement in accordance with subsection (7) of that section and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chairman and look forward to doing this again. I place a high value on my relationship with this committee and will be at its disposal when I can, especially in regard to legislation. Particularly in the road safety area, we have all worked together and everybody has views. I will genuinely do my best if people come forward with a good idea in that area, as Deputy Ellis has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: My understanding is that we would not receive EU funding for the particular route referred to by the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: It all refers to the classification of the route and this route is not classified by the European Union as one that would receive additional funding.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: This goes back to the point I have made regarding the funding of €598 million. That is Exchequer funding and I have to see how that can best be used.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I will come back to the Deputy directly on that issue. I would make the point that I am always looking at how we can best access funding from the EU and elsewhere to develop our national roads infrastructure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Senator Eamon Coghlan asked-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: That goes back to the point I made regarding the over fund I have secured. With the funding that has been secured the local authorities, the National Roads Authority and I have to see how that can best be used. I will convey the Deputy's concern regarding the road to them. Ultimately, it is the National Roads Authority and the local authorities who will make decisions on how this funding...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (15 Oct 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I appreciate that and I also appreciate the nature of the road. Deputies and Senators from many parts of the country are raising their concerns regarding road safety on particular routes. With the funding that we have secured, which was the first part of my job in this process, I will raise these issues with the NRA and local authorities. In regard to the point raised by Senator Eamonn...