Results 3,221-3,240 of 6,030 for speaker:Brendan Ryan

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: Borrowing dollars last year would have been a daft arrangement because two years ago the dollar was worth €1.20. It is now worth €0.80. This body would have lost a third of the value of its borrowing in euro within two years. I believe this section was taken from an old Bill that predates the euro and it has got through because nobody noticed. The idea of an Irish public authority...

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I thank the Minister for his unlimited patience and sense of humour, which I value. The Long Title of the Bill contains the Irish language version of the name of the authority. Last week another Minister told us that the advice from the Parliamentary Counsel was that this is unnecessary. I wish the Government would make up its mind on the issue.

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: It got very local here this morning. We were back to Dingle again.

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I just wish the Government would make up its mind about it.

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I am intrigued that members of local authorities are being excluded because they might have a conflict of interest but business people could be on the authority who could end up, perfectly legitimately, doing business with the authority and who would have to declare their interest and remove themselves from the decision making process. The Minister appears to be saying that is okay because...

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I am at a loss. I know this Minister a long time and he is one of the more agreeable members of the Government. We have snarled at each other on occasions, but he is still one of the more agreeable ones. I am astonished that he says there is no way of drafting this. He could, for instance, put into this section, "entitled under the standing orders of the local authority from which the...

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I accept that.

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I again register my disagreement with section 20(5) which stipulates that when appearing before the Committee of Public Accounts, the chief executive "shall not question or express an opinion on the merits of any policy of the Government or a Minister of the Government or on the merits of the objectives of such a policy". This is another of those standard clauses that is inserted in all...

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: The chief executive and the chairman of Dublin Airport Authority have made it clear that they disagree with the Government's policy of making Cork and Shannon Airports free of debt. If they came before an Oireachtas committee, they would be precluded from expressing their dissent, yet they can outline their opinions in a press conference with RTE. Given the Minister's understanding of the...

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 3: In page 18, subsection (1), line 9, to delete "general administration of the". Section 21 states, "The Chief Executive shall, at the request in writing of an Oireachtas Committee, attend before it to give account for the general administration of the Authority as may be required by the Committee". The phrase "general administration" is meaningless and I propose that it...

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: Now I know I am right. Presumably the term "general administration" refers the running of a body. The Minister is not fond of definitions but "administration" has many meanings, including management, organisation, staffing and planning. I see no reason to withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 4: In page 18, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following new subsection: "(2) The Authority shall be accountable to the Oireachtas and shall subscribe to a code of practice to be agreed with the Minister, which shall include provision that the Authority shall give a substantive reply within 7 days to any written question submitted by a member of the Houses of the...

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: Can the Minister indicate why the chief executive would not be in a position to question or express an opinion on the merits of any policy of the Government if he or she was called before an Oireachtas committee? He or she is forbidden to do so in appearing before the Committee of Public Accounts. What is it in section 21 that means he or she is not free to state whatever he wishes?

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I know this is the Minister's view. Why does section 21 not contain a clause equivalent to section 20(5)?

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: Although I do not wish to delay the House unnecessarily, let us suppose that the first issue that arises is the length of time it takes to reply to queries from Members of the Oireachtas. The chief executive may reply that funding is not sufficient, a clear criticism of Government policy. The Minister believes the chief executive should not do that. Section 21 does not contain a clause...

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: This could occur when he or she appears before the Committee of Public Accounts to address accounting issues. The chief executive officer is forbidden from addressing public policy when dealing with the Committee of Public Accounts, which is exclusively concerned with proper expenditure and value for money. He or she can speak on general administration to any other committee with no prohibition.

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: If the Government gives direction to the authority, will it be made public? Can the Government give private direction to the authority, unknown to the rest of us?

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: This section intrigues me. I believe it was copied from another Bill. The section reads: The Authority or a subsidiary may borrow money (including money in a currency other than the currency of the State) for the purpose of performing any of the functions of the Authority, but shall not do so without the approval of the Minister given with the consent of the Minister for Finance. We are part...

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: Can the Minister give me any reason for not including a fixed time limit? We are told the Bill is of considerable urgency and yet there is no establishment date. It is when the Minister is ready to do so. This is an old issue of mine. I would have thought it would be appropriate to include a date — a maximum of three months, two months or one month. In the case of a body which is urgent,...

Seanad: National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I have a couple of questions for the Minister. I may have missed this matter, although I looked through the definitions. Subsection (2) states that the authority may develop and provide on the site such facilities and services of a commercial nature. As there are now so many definitions of commercial, what does that mean? Does it mean that the revenue must exceed the outgoings on an annual...