Results 561-580 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: I can also confirm that the IDA and Enterprise Ireland——

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: I am giving the exact facts, if the Deputies would only have the patience to listen.

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: I can also confirm that the IDA and Enterprise Ireland are working intensively to ensure that any viable proposals for aviation-related projects, to retain as many jobs as possible in aircraft maintenance, are given serious consideration. The DAA will also give serious consideration to any commercial proposal put to it as regards access to hangars for aircraft maintenance operations. The...

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: It has been under pressure since 2007. We all know that. Arguing about who knew what when and what was said when over recent months is not where it is at. It is necessary to work and establish whether viable proposals come forward with which we can work and help to try to save as many jobs as possible.

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: That is where it is at. The Deputies are allowing themselves to go down a cul-de-sac. Let us focus and concentrate on what it is all about.

Company Closure. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: Right now that involves trying to work with any outfit that comes forward to see how many of the jobs can be saved.

RAPID Programmes. (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. It provides the opportunity to outline the background to the current situation and the action taken by the HSE. The RAPID programme aims to ensure that priority attention is given to tackling the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion within 46 designated...

Written Answers — Driving Tests: Driving Tests (25 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 477 of 2006) this is a matter for the Road Safety Authority.

Written Answers — Parking Regulations: Parking Regulations (24 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: Under the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations, 1997 the granting of a disabled person's parking permit is a matter for local authorities, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association. The scheme relates to a person who is suffering from a disability that is of a nature that prevents him or her from walking or causes undue hardship to the person in walking....

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (24 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: Details of expenditure for Coast Guard Units in the Leinster area under the budgetary headings listed for the last three years are as follows: 2006 CG Unit Volunteer Costs Equipment Fuel Building Maintenance Events Training Other Costs Greenore 444 122 71 1,744 0 2,210 409 Clogherhead 715 176 0 2,714 0 311 1,899 Drogheda 10,837 1,077 85 2,940 0 7,470 5,425 Skerries 2,532 1,311 0 9,539...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: The allocation to the Road Safety Authority for 2009 will be published in the Revised Estimates Volume in due course.

Taxi Regulations. (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy stated and as the House is aware, last Monday the Commission for Taxi Regulation published an economic review into the small public service vehicles sector. This comprehensive review contains a wide range of detailed data regarding the demand for and the supply of taxi, hackney and limousine services. The review of the period until the end of last year demonstrates there has...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: I thank all Members for their work. We had a long and comprehensive debate on this matter and I thank all who contributed. As well as the sections that were contentious, the Bill has other aspects that are not contentious but are very important. The ports system is developing and evolving and it is a key driver and facilitator of our import and export traffic. Some aspects of this Bill...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: It was clear from the rather long debate on Committee Stage that the potential transfer of these two harbours to ports nearby would be a fairly difficult and contentious issue. As I said many times on Committee Stage, this is an enabling provision that has been discussed at different levels and in different reports for approximately ten years. The Government's ports policy statement issued...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: My mother may have been from Castledonovan but I do not have the history, background or knowledge of some Senators on all aspects of the sea. The River Tolka and Dollymount are probably the nearest to water in which I have ever had involvement. Some comments here, particularly by Senator O'Donovan, were interesting. Reference was made to the break-up of the Department of the...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: Currently, this section only allows for consideration of leases and licences approvals or consents actually granted under the Foreshore Act and this is in contrast to the subsection regarding regulatory requirements under the planning Acts where consideration of both applications and permissions granted is specified. To ensure consistency, it is proposed to amend section 3 to allow for...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: The principle underpinning this amendment is sound. I thank the Senators for tabling these amendments. Senator McCarthy admitted that this amendment is technical in nature, as are the others. Following our raising this matter with the Parliamentary Counsel, he identified an additional change to the collective citation in section 21 that needs to be inserted along with these proposed...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: We discussed this matter on Committee Stage on foot of a proposal by Senator Donohoe regarding the principles and policies to which a Minister should have regard when making an order to extend a company's harbour limits. We forwarded that amendment to the Parliamentary Counsel for consideration and drafting. Following discussions with him, he proposed an amendment which is slightly...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: As the Senators know, at present port authority boards have 12 directors. Various groups and reports have recommended a reduction in the number of directors on port company boards. The general view is that 12 is excessive even for the bigger ports. Some of the smaller ones——

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Noel Ahern: Even with some of the bigger ports, having 12 is too many. With some of the smaller ones it is possible to end up with more board members than staff. The change would not affect the term of any existing board member in any case. There is another view. From the point of view of the Department of Transport, there is another aspect although this has been recommended to us by various reports....