Results 601-620 of 3,665 for speaker:Seán Power

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: I have listened attentively to the three Senators and we are trying to achieve the same goal. It is a matter of how one does that. Section 66 of the Bill lists the criteria the contract awards committee must have regard to when an application is being considered, including, in section 66(2)(c) "the quality, range and type of the programmes proposed to be provided by each applicant or, if...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: With regard to amendments Nos. 29, 32 and 35, the regulation of alcohol in the State is a matter which falls to be addressed on a cross-departmental basis. The Department of Health and Children, which is the lead Department on the health-related issues of alcohol, has, as Senators will be aware, recently reviewed the voluntary code to reduce the exposure of young people to alcoholic drink on...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: They are not that easily chilled.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: Section 47 requires broadcasters to develop and apply basic procedures in respect of complaints handling, including providing information to the viewing and listening public as to how to go about making a complaint and giving a sense of how long they can expect to wait before receiving a response from a broadcaster. It limits the duty of broadcasters to consider complaints made in writing...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: That also applies to the mind.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: I mentioned that I considered the existing text of section 48(15) achieves what the Senator is seeking to achieve in this amendment. In view of what he said I will consider the matter and come back to him on it.

Order of Business (5 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: It is in giving that one receives.

Written Answers — Remediation of Mining Sites: Remediation of Mining Sites (4 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 428 and 429 together. As I indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 5 of 29th May 2008, in 2006, following a competitive tendering process, North Tipperary County Council (NTCC) appointed Golder Associates to finalise the design and manage the implementation of the rehabilitation programme as set out in earlier conceptual plans. The initial focus...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: I am not sure if Senators Mullen and Norris were differing in their interpretations of the work of William Butler Yeats. I had some difficulty in trying to interpret what Senators Norris and Quinn were saying. I am not sure whether they are thinking about heading for greener pastures in the near future. If they are thinking along those lines, I will tell them, as I told my colleague,...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: Amendments Nos. 22, 82 and 90 seek to set out specific requirements for programming aimed at those over the age of 65. In particular, they will require broadcasters to ensure that a minimum of 10% of programming is devoted to people over that age. Under these amendments, the broadcasting authority of Ireland will have to consider the needs of over 65s when it is awarding contracts in areas...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: I will be very brief. I take on board what the Senators stated. Section 96 of the Bill deals with the audience council and paragraph (12) states: An audience council may require its corporation to conduct, or arrange to be conducted, as far as is reasonably practicable, a survey of children and young people, for the purpose of ascertaining the views and interests of children and young...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: Senator Mullen is happy with the support he has received for this amendment. However, all good things must come to an end. He referred to how we tend to forget people in nursing homes. My one criticism is that those in nursing homes do not have enough stimulation and become bored which affects their health. Senators referred to the various television and radio programmes they enjoy. The...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: I thank the Senators for their contributions. I made the point that there is a lot of merit in what Senator Mullen proposes and I note the support he has received. I do not disagree entirely with the content of the argument. We discussed this proposal in some detail previously and it was the general view that the Bill as drafted provided for the development of sufficient programming...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: While I fully appreciate the Senator's concerns in respect of this amendment, I cannot guarantee with certainty when the Comptroller and Auditor General will complete his audit in any given year. As a consequence, no date is specified for submission of the accounts and the audit report before the Houses of the Oireachtas. However, section 37(5) specifies that the accounts and the report of...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: I do not disagree with much of what the two Senators have said. It is important for us to approach any legislation in a businesslike manner. When we make demands of the private or public sectors, it is also important for us to set an example and to provide a lead. However, given the large number of accounts the Comptroller and Auditor General must audit each year, it cannot be said with...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: Are we sitting that day?

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Seán Power: He is serving as an apprentice to Senator Norris.

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (29 May 2008)

Seán Power: Ireland's offshore remains a relatively under-explored area with a history of poor prospectivity compared to other locations such as the North Sea. In order to change such negative perceptions, the Government has sponsored major resource assessments during 2005–2006, which indicate a yet to find reserve potential of between 8 and 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent. This is the total...

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (29 May 2008)

Seán Power: During the 2007 Porcupine Basin Licensing Round, four applications were received which have resulted in the award of exploration licences over areas totalling some 4,700 square kilometres. These licences are additional to four existing licences which were granted under previous licensing rounds. Details of these licences can be found in the following table. Frontier Exploration Licences...

Written Answers — Exploration Licences: Exploration Licences (29 May 2008)

Seán Power: In the period 1 May 2007 to 30 April 2008, 113 new minerals prospecting licences and six petroleum exploration licences were granted. Activities related to the work programmes agreed for each licence are ongoing.