Results 7,981-8,000 of 8,600 for speaker:Seán Crowe

Offshore Exploration. (6 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: If the uptake is so poor why is the gas or oil not left in the ground, given that it is of no benefit to us? Were no lessons learnt about the individuals involved in negotiations on behalf of the State? Part of the problem regarding the Corrib gas line may have been that certain individuals had their own interests at heart, rather than those of the State. What is the benefit in giving away an...

Telecommunications Services. (6 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: Question 7: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will report on the roll-out of broadband here; the percentage of people who have access to it; the number of homes that have broadband connections; and how Ireland fares in comparison with the rest of Europe. [13765/06]

Telecommunications Services. (6 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: Does the Minister of State not accept that the State's broadband coverage is shameful and as a result the Government has decided to privatise Eircom? In the Six Counties, 100% broadband saturation has been reached, compared with the figures of 1.7% coverage in the Twenty-six Counties last year. The European Commission recently criticised Ireland for being one of the slowest movers in the...

Telecommunications Services. (6 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: Does the Minister of State accept that Eircom has come full circle? Once it was a fully listed company on the Stock Exchange with a fixed line and mobile network service. Later, it sold its mobile network service. Subsequently, it delisted from the Stock Exchange before floating again last year and since then it has talked about buying another mobile telephone company. It appears to have gone...

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (6 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: My party certainly welcomes some of the objectives outlined in this Bill. In particular, we support the aim, as outlined in section 3, to promote the development of an all-Ireland energy market. However, we also believe that such an objective will be best served by developing such a market under a company that is in public ownership and for the public good. On this side of the Border that...

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (6 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: Other energy sources provide possible alternatives. Forfás refers to wind and wave power and we certainly support research and development in those areas with a view to expanding the proportion of energy needs supplied from those sources. One of the other areas of more immediate importance, especially in the light of the Bill's reference to the all-island energy market and the gas...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: Question 253: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will report on the recommendations from the task force on lifelong learning of 2002 which have not been acted upon. [13780/06]

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: Mr. Byrne admitted at his first press conference that he had no expertise in this field. I wish him well in his new employment and I sincerely hope he is successful. While I tabled the amendment in the context of this Bill, all these appointments should be advertised, people should apply for the jobs and they should be selected on their merit, expertise and suitability for the appointment....

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: I move amendment No. 26: In page 11, lines 13 and 14, to delete "in the opinion of the Minister has wide" and substitute "has proven".

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: I wish the incoming staff of the new road safety authority well. During the week we reached a tragic milestone of 100 deaths on our roads. I hope this Bill will enhance safety on our roads. I wish all those involved in implementing the Bill luck. One can hope the work put into passing the legislation will enhance road safety and bring about a better environment with fewer deaths and tragic...

Road Safety. (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: I extend my sympathy to the White family, to those who were injured and traumatised and to their families, friends and the community at large. While I have a number of questions I will try not to go over the ground covered by other Deputies. Do we have a problem in regard to the use of older school buses? Is the Minister concerned about the 2,500 private operators? Is there a problem in this...

Road Safety. (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: Buses not fitted with seat belts are unsafe.

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: I do not have a problem with the appointment of Mr. Gay Byrne. I do not know much about the man aside from seeing him on television. I was impressed with his comment that if the Government was not willing to listen, he would resign. These appointments should be advertised and people should be selected for the position on the basis of their credentials and in an open and transparent manner....

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: On the quality of driving instructors, one instructor informed me he was put under pressure to give lessons for ten hours per day despite being brain-dead after five or six hours.

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: We all agree on the need for regulation given that the quality of instructors ranges from excellent to very poor. The inclusion of a requirement that the new authority "shall" rather than "may" carry out certain functions could be a way forward. From anecdotal evidence, driving instruction appears to be getting worse rather than better. Anyone can establish himself or herself as a driving...

Adult Education. (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: Question 35: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she is satisfied that the fundamental elements of the White Paper on adult education, Learning for Life, published in 2000, have been realised. [13779/06]

Adult Education. (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: I thank the Minister for her lengthy reply. I accept there has been more investment in this area, but we are coming from a low base. Six years after the publication of the White Paper, we still await progress on some fundamental issues. The national adult learning council, NALC, was set up following a recommendation of the White Paper but for some reason was set aside. Does the Minister...

Stay Safe Programme. (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: To get back to the timescale, is the Minister talking about three, six, nine or 12 months? Does she have a timescale in mind? I accept there is confusion and ignorance about the Stay Safe programme. However, I thought it was a positive step by the representatives of the bishops' commission who attended the Committee on Education and Science and supported the programme. As Deputy Finian...

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: I move amendment No. 9: In page 6, line 26, after "Authority" to insert the following: "but notwithstanding the transfer of functions to the Authority, the Minister shall be accountable to Dáil Éireann for the general policy of the Authority".

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Seán Crowe: The major difficulty in this area is poor communication. The Garda find it difficult to obtain the relevant information if they stop a car. A young woman in my area has received a number of courts summonses in the past two years because someone passed her name on to the Garda. This young woman had never been in trouble with the law previously. The Garda knows the identity of the person who...