Results 4,901-4,920 of 7,604 for speaker:James Bannon

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2006)

James Bannon: Will the Leader invite the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to this House to debate rural planning? In Sligo three years ago, the Taoiseach promised radical changes in this area. He has lost credibility on this issue because nothing has happened to date. We heard the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, huffing and puffing about this...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2006)

James Bannon: The Government has neglected the people of rural Ireland.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2006)

James Bannon: Young people in several areas have been denied planning permission to build homes on their parents' farms. This is an issue that has arisen time and again and it must be dealt with. The planning regulations are far too restrictive and we were promised some changes in this regard. The Government made sure to put out the right message on this issue in the run-up to the last local elections...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2006)

James Bannon: It was the Senator herself who courted the Greens.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2006)

James Bannon: It was not relevant.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Sep 2006)

James Bannon: I support the call for an urgent debate on the report of the tribunal of inquiry on the shooting of John Carthy in Abbeylara, County Longford, in 2000. Many lessons will be learned from the findings in the report. A total of 169 people were interviewed during a period of 208 days. We waited long enough for the report to be published. It warrants urgent debate at the earliest opportunity....

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Sep 2006)

James Bannon: It is a bit rich to speak of that for the people of the constituency of Longford-Westmeath who in 2002 were promised that €57 million was ringfenced for the completion of stage 2B of Longford Westmeath General Hospital. In May of this year, the amount was watered down to €14.5 million to fit out the shell. Many questions need to be answered. With so much money available why has the...

Seanad: Building Societies (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 4: In page 12, before section 22, to insert the following new section: "22.—The Principal Act is amended by inserting the following after section 101: "A101C. —Before the court may make an order under section A101A, it shall satisfy itself that the society has established a Board of Directors comprising no less than— (a) two executive directors, and (b) 7...

Seanad: Building Societies (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: The financial services ombudsman has found that the early repayment penalties imposed by Irish Nationwide were invalid and illegal but Irish Nationwide has made no provision to compensate borrowers affected by this. The amendment would counteract this problem, which is important. It is a sensible proposal and should be taken on board.

Seanad: Building Societies (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, for attending the Seanad this evening. He sat through the entire two and a half hours devoted to the Bill. The Fine Gael Party supports the Bill in principle but it is regrettable my important amendments were not taken on board. Hopefully, the Government will not live to regret that.

Seanad: Building Societies (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 1: In page 12, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: "(a) by substituting the following for subsection (2): "(2) In order to convert into a company, a society must— (a) approve a conversion scheme by a conversion resolution pursuant to section 71, (b) obtain the confirmation of the Central Bank to the conversion scheme under section 104, (c) obtain an order...

Seanad: Building Societies (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: I am not sure on the last point made by the Minister of State. Is he taking the amendments on board?

Seanad: Building Societies (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: I am disappointed because the amendments are straightforward. As I said, the first one is a very necessary amendment. It makes it a requirement for a court order to be issued before a building society can become a public limited company. That is it in a nutshell. To improve the legislation it is important that this should be included in the Bill. As regards the second amendment, it is...

Seanad: Building Societies (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 2: In page 12, before section 22, to insert the following new section: "22. The Principal Act is amended by inserting the following after section 101: "A101A.—(1) An application may be made to the High Court for an order sanctioning the conversion into a company of a society. (2) In any application under this section, the following shall have right of audience: (a) the...

Seanad: Building Societies (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 3: In page 12, before section 22, to insert the following new section: 22.—The Principal Act is amended by inserting the following after section 101: A101B.— (1) Before the court may make an order under section A101A, the court must be satisfied that all the society's assets and liabilities are in order. (2) In ascertaining its duty under subsection (1), the court...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: These amendments are important. They are important in terms of what they contribute to the development of our economic life. It has been rightly emphasised that we have a very modern economy but it is generally recognised that we have Third World infrastructure. Some recent statistical information from Europe showed that Ireland was in 11th place out of 12 in terms of infrastructural...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: I thank the Minister for coming to the House this evening. As I said on Committee Stage, Fine Gael supports this Bill. At that time I wished it a speedy passage through the Oireachtas. I am glad, now, that we have signed off on it. Hopefully the infrastructural developments that are badly needed throughout the country will be delivered on in the shortest possible term.

Seanad: Building Societies (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: I welcome the Minister of State. In the tried and trusted manner of being suspicious of Greeks bearing gifts, however, I am wary of his presence to discuss the Building Societies (Amendment Bill) 2006. This is legislation that could be classed as a time bomb. Once again we are faced with undue haste on the part of the Government, following a marked dragging of its heels in bringing this...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: I welcome the Minister to the House and note he has taken on board many amendments which were first tabled in the Seanad. He did not see fit to accept them at the time but I am glad that when the Bill was debated on Committee Stage in the Dáil and adequate time was provided to discuss those amendments further, the Minister took many of them on board. Those important amendments will...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (6 Jul 2006)

James Bannon: Certainly. The Minister referred to the regional planning guidelines and I ask him to review those guidelines over the summer because they are not working. He must contact all of the local authorities in the State to determine how they are implementing the guidelines because there is an enormous variation between one local authority and another. When one is in a constituency that crosses two...