Results 43,601-43,620 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I make the point that while we are in the process of revaluing, the actual valuation base will remain the same so for everybody who will see an increase, somebody else should see a decrease. I am sure people such as the Leas-Chathaoirleach will keep us informed of that process. The amendment specifically enables the commissioner to use general market or aggregate data to determine the net...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: This amendment is designed to provide in certain circumstances for the valuation as a single entity of certain non-contiguous properties. For example, this would include advertising stations, bicycle-hire stations and car parking spaces, each of which is occupied by the same person. The purpose of the amendment is to streamline the valuation process and to ensure the true economic nature of...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: These are technical amendments consequent on the removal of the current valuation list from the list of definitions in section 2 as superfluous. There can only be one valuation list at any one time and for which there is an adequate definition in the Bill.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: The first part of this amendment, replacing subsections (3) and (4), are minor wording changes, including the replacement of the term "officer so appointed" with "person so appointed". The amendment to subsection (5) confers an obligation on the valuation manager in drawing up and compiling a valuation list to reference relevant market and other data available and to endeavour to achieve...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: It is somewhat unfortunate as the Government amendment comes into play. That amendment will go further than the status quoand ensure that only commercial activity within a sports club is rateable. That is not the current position. A map does not delineate the licensed area but is rather used for other purposes. Under the Registration of Clubs (Ireland) Act 1904, the club would be...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I will take up that point, as perhaps Senator Barrett made it more eloquently than I did. Although I do not wish to speak for Senator Byrne, it seems the purpose of his amendment and the Government amendment is to acknowledge that trying to fit sports clubs into the bracket of a community hall is an outdated process. We will have the debate later but, ultimately, at the end of this debate...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Byrne for the amendment. This is a rates issue and measures have already been taken earlier this year by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in this regard. The Local Government Reform Act 2014 was enacted in January and introduced a range of reforms to the local government system. It included some important measures to address some of the main...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: The Bill, as initiated, made provision to enable the commissioners to have certain valuation functions or portions of functions performed by external service providers. The overall purpose of the provision is to enable the commissioner to augment the internal capacity of the Valuation Office by engaging external resources. It is an enabling provision, and initially the commissioner is...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for facilitating the Committee Stage of the debate today. The amendments to section 2 provide for new definitions and for deletions, substitutions and extensions of existing definitions in the 2001 Act. Amendments Nos. 1 and 4 delete the definitions of "alternative valuation", "determined valuation" and "current valuation list". The definitions of...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Reilly for her amendments, which I cannot accept. The proposed amendments are very broad and would potentially exempt a very large number of organisations and would probably exempt many entities that it does not intend to exempt. While I understand what the Senator is trying to achieve by the amendments, they raise a number of serious questions. What sporting entities would...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: It comes up later. It is dealt with in amendment No. 76.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: The proposed amendment is as Senator Byrne outlined, the same amendment proposed in the Private Members' Valuation Bill 2014, introduced by Deputy Cowen in the other House.. The Private Members' Bill had its Second Stage debate in the Dáil on 4 July 2014. In the course of that debate, the response delivered on behalf of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform pointed out the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (1 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 69 together. The Government Decision of 11 February, 2014 specifically addressed the allocation of funding for the repair of existing public infrastructure damaged by storms in the period of 13th December to 6th January 2014. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DoECLG) wrote to Kerry County Council indicating that, based...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (30 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: Meath County Council expects to appoint consultants shortly with a view to designing a feasible, cost-beneficial flood relief solution for the Northlands Estate. In the interim, it is planned that the Office of Public Works will carry out maintenance work on the channel in the estate on behalf of the Council before the end of this year.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Insurance Cover (30 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: On the 24th of March of this year, my predecessor, Mr. Brian Hayes T.D., announced details of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Office of Public Works and Insurance Ireland (previously known as the Irish Insurance Federation), the representative body for insurance companies in Ireland, on the exchange of information on flood defence works. The Memorandum of Understanding outlines the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (30 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: The Office of Public Works has recently approved funding of €144,000 to Kerry County Council under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for flood mitigation works at this location, which will also provide protection to a number of homes and a commercial property. The progression of these works is a matter for the Council.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Planning Issues (30 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: A Planning Application was submitted to Kildare County Council by the Office of Public Works on Wednesday 17th September 2014 for installation of new signage on Newbridge Credit Union Building. The application is available for inspection in Kildare County Council offices in Naas, Co Kildare and on the Council's website for 5 weeks from the date of submission.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: National Monuments (24 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: I would be delighted to accept the Senator's invitation and arrange, in conjunction with him, to visit Carlingford at the earliest possible opportunity in the coming weeks. I know the project is very close to his heart. During my two months in office he has made clear to me its importance to Carlingford and north Louth. While I accept that there have been delays and setbacks in recent...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: National Monuments (24 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank the Senator for highlighting this most important issue for Carlingford and north County Louth. It is not the first time the Senator has brought this matter to attention. In the two months or thereabouts I have been in the job he has worn a path to my door on this issue. I know he does so because it is very close to his heart and that of his community. I also know that it is an...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (24 Sep 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank Senators for their contributions, the welcome they have given to the Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013 and their considered contributions to the debate. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, was present for much of it and I have had the pleasure of being present for the second half of it. While the Bill deals with the regulation of the remote betting sector and provides the...