Results 42,681-42,700 of 46,397 for speaker:Simon Harris

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I have yet to meet the Sir Humphrey to whom the Deputy continually refers. His Fianna Fáil colleagues must have taken him with them when they left office. What I have been trying to do in this legislation is to fix a number of anomalies from the previous valuations Bill, including the fact that sports clubs were being penalised well beyond their commercial activity, and trying to...

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: We have discussed at length the issues to which the amendment refers. Given that the overriding principle of rates is the occupation of the physical structure being valued, not the economic buoyancy or otherwise of the business carried out in it, I cannot accept the Deputy's amendment. However, I am pleased he has raised the issue of wind energy, given that on Committee Stage I made a...

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I move Amendment No. 7:In page 28, line 32, to delete “subparagraph (b)” and substitute “clause (b) of subparagraph (2)”.This is a technical amendment. Section 37 of the Bill amends Schedule 2. The wording in the Bill to be changed by the amendment was referring to subparagraph (b). There is more than one subparagraph (b) in paragraph 13 and the amendment makes...

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: The arguments on Irish Water have been well-rehearsed in this House, the other House and in public. If the intention of Deputy Fleming's amendment is to make Irish Water rateable, I am advised that it would not succeed in doing so, even if passed. Schedule 3 sets out classes of property that are regarded as relevant property for the purposes of valuation. Schedule 3 describes property in...

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I indicated on Committee Stage of this legislation that I was favourably disposed to what Deputy Fleming is trying to achieve with these amendments, which is to have revision cases concluded within six months of receipt. I undertook on Committee Stage to propose an amendment on Report Stage that will achieve what the Deputy intends. As the Deputy pointed out, there is a weakness in the...

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I move amendment No. 4:4. In page 16, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following:“Supplemental provision in relation to section 13 – time within which decision on revision must be made 14. On and from such day as the Minister appoints by order under this section, the following amendment shall have effect in relation to the section inserted in the Principal Act by section...

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: This amendment is at odds with the intention of section 15 which provides discretionary powers to the commissioner in exceptional circumstances in the interests of fair, equitable and uniform valuation lists. The first proposed amendment would result in limiting the discretion by limiting the period within which the function could be exercised. This could inadvertently be very unfavourable...

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Order for Report Stage (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Fleming. We had extensive engagement on many of these issues on Committee Stage and I look forward to further discussion now. I am afraid I am not in a position to accept this amendment. The material change of circumstance provisions have been criticised as being too restrictive and I agree with Deputy Fleming that there are limited circumstances where a material change of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Tourism Funding (31 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 295 together. The Office of Public Works is responsible for six Visitor sites in Co. Cork.The expenditure associated with each of these sites in 2013 and 2014 is as follows: Site Year Conservation Works and Maintenance (incl staff costs) € Utilities and running costs € Guide costs € Total Barryscourt Castle 2014: 2013: 117,850...

Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: The Deputy can afford it on her salary.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Erosion (26 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: Local flooding and coastal erosion issues are matters for Local Authorities to investigate and address in the first instance and Donegal County Council (DCC) may carry out flood mitigation and coastal protection works using its own resources. I can assure the Deputy that the Government and I are cognisant that coastal erosion may in some instances give rise to a significant threat to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Projects (26 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 to 106, inclusive, together. Location strategies for any given public services commences with an assessment by the service provider of their operational requirements. As the Deputy is aware from replies to previous Parliamentary Questions on this matter, the Commissioners of Public Works assessed a number of premises in Ballybay in the context of a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (26 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 to 112, inclusive, together. The BandonFlood Relief Scheme is currently at tender stage for procurement of a civil works contractor. The pre-qualification process to provide a short-list of contractors is completed and tender documents are expected to be issued shortly by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to the applicants who were selected to tender for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (25 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: Responsibility for maintenance of the River Suck, which is the main tributary of the River Shannon, rests jointly with Galway County Council and Roscommon County Council. The Councils have heretofore discharged their responsibility through the River Suck Joint Drainage District Committee. The most recent formal report submitted by the Committee to the Office of Public Works (OPW) shows...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Drainage Schemes Applications (25 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: In 2014, Tipperary County Council submitted an application for funding for flood mitigation works in the Loughmore area under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, which scheme is focussed primarily on protection of dwellings. The application is currently being assessed under the eligibility criteria of the Scheme, which include a requirement that the works must...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: The engineering and environmental studies required for the proposed River Deel (Crossmolina) Flood Relief Scheme are being progressed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and its consultants. A public information day was held in Crossmolina in June 2014 to apprise interested parties of the preferred option, which was generally well received. Consultation was also initiated with relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: The engineering and environmental studies required for the proposed River Deel (Crossmolina) Flood Relief Scheme are being progressed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and its consultants. A public information day was held in Crossmolina in June 2014 to apprise interested parties of the preferred option, which was generally well received. Consultation was also initiated with relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: The engineering and environmental studies required for the proposed River Deel (Crossmolina) Flood Relief Scheme are being progressed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and its consultants. A public information day was held in Crossmolina in June 2014 to apprise interested parties of the preferred option, which was generally well received. Consultation was also initiated with relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (24 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: At the meeting referred to by the Deputy, proposals for flood mitigation works at Station Road and East Bridge, Ballinasloe were discussed. Galway County Council submitted an application to the OPW in 2013 under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for €480,000 for works at Station Road. This application was not approved by the OPW and the delegation...