Results 8,221-8,240 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased the Deputy is reiterating the strategy the Government has announced and that Fine Gael would like to follow it.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy is postulating exactly what we are doing.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Apr 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: This Bill responds to a judgment of the Supreme Court on 13 November 2006 concerning the nomination of Dáil candidates who are not members of registered political parties. The outcome of the judgment is that there is currently no statutory mechanism to regulate the nomination of such candidates standing for election and this must be addressed before the general election. For clarity and...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Apr 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have a feeling the Senator's party was in power at the time.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Apr 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank the Senators for their contribution to the debate. The comments, as usual, focused on the Bill and went across the electoral agenda. That is not unusual, I suppose. In the time available I wish to comment on some of the points raised. Regulating access to the electoral process is a common feature in most parliamentary democracies and is widely seen as necessary to discourage an...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Apr 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank the Senators for their co-operation and the expeditious and constructive way in which they dealt with the Bill.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Another Pontius Pilate act.

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: We gave you the money.

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Deputy Boyle went off course and strayed from us.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: On behalf of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Séamus Brennan, I am pleased to introduce this measure, the second of two Bills intended to implement the largest social welfare package in the history of the State at €1.41 billion, announced in last December's budget. This substantial investment brings total expenditure on social welfare this year to €15.3 billion, or...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: On behalf of the Minister, I thank the Pensions Board for its help in drafting these amendments to the Pensions Act. Section 38 amends the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to underpin the proposals in Towards 2016 for the Revenue Commissioners to transfer to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and the new office dedicated to employment rights compliance, information similar to that...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: This Bill builds further on the development of social inclusion measures adopted by the Government over recent years. It safeguards the living standards of those who rely on social welfare income and other supports and prioritises the allocation of resources in favour of those most in need. Resources will continue to be targeted at helping those most in need in order not alone to raise...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (27 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Approval in principle was granted in April 2005 for a new fire station in Castlecomer, County Kilkenny. The council submitted design documents to my Department on 21 June 2006. Following an examination of these documents, my Department sought clarification on a number of issues including the submission of a revised cost plan. While the Council clarified some issues, a reply is still awaited...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (27 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: North Tipperary County Council submitted a proposal to my Department for the provision of a new fire station at Cloughjordan, County Tipperary in May 2005. While it has not been possible to fund this proposal to date, funding has been provided for other priority projects at Thurles and Templemore. The provision of funding for Cloughjordan will be considered in future years having regard to...

Fire Stations. (6 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank Deputy O'Shea for raising this matter. I am glad to place on record the Government's commitment to the fire services in terms of modernisation and financial investment. I also wish to express our appreciation for the significant contribution which the fire services continue to make each day in safeguarding our communities. As the Deputy will be aware, this commitment can be a...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I move amendment No. 52: In page 23, to delete lines 6 to 10 and substitute the following: "(ii) without prejudice to subsection (8), the applicant should obtain a knowledge of language necessary for practising architecture in the State,". These are primary drafting changes to ensure compliance with EU Directive 2005/36/EC on mutual recognition. They are related to persons from abroad...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I move amendment No. 53: In page 23, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: "(13) (a) If it appears to the Admissions Board that a person who is registered in the register pursuant to this section— (i) has, in a case where subsection (8) applies, failed to complete successfully an adaptation period or take and pass an aptitude test, as the case may be, mentioned in that...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: This amendment provides for the transfer of responsibility for the approval of all registration fees from the Director of Consumer Affairs to the Minister. It applies to all fees proposed by the registration bodies which relate to the registration of professionals. In reconsideration, it was felt this was not a matter that fell within the remit of the Director of Consumer Affairs or the new...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: This amendment to section 16 would enable a partnership or body corporate to carry out business under a name including the word "architect", provided at least one of the partners or directors is registered under the Act. Subsection (3) already achieves much of what the amendment proposes to do. One of the main objectives of the registration of architects is to give greater protection to...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I move amendment No. 56: In page 24, between lines 39 and 40, to insert the following: "(5) Paragraph (a) or (d) of subsection (1) shall not apply to a person who has— (a) applied for registration under this Part and in respect of whom the Admissions Board or the Technical Assessment Board, as the case may be, has not made a decision on that application (and the person has not withdrawn...