Results 921-940 of 2,815 for speaker:Tony Killeen

School Transport. (4 Nov 2009)

Tony Killeen: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State responsible for lifelong learning, Deputy Haughey. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to clarify the general position regarding post-primary school transport for children residing in the area referred to by the Deputy. The Deputy will be aware that the provision...

Aquaculture Industry. (21 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Brian O'Shea as ucht an ábhar thábhachtach seo a chur os comhair na Dála agus deis a thabhairt dom freagra a thabhairt air. Let me assure this House that I am actively working to address the current challenges and my objective is to have a scheme in place that will enable grant aid support to be made available to the sector in 2010. First, it is important...

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: The lost at sea scheme was a limited scheme introduced in June 2001, with a closing date of 31 December 2001. Its objective was to enable qualifying applicants, who were otherwise unable to do so for financial or related reasons, to continue a family tradition of sea-fishing. The scheme provided replacement capacity, gross tons and kilowatts, that the applicant would otherwise have had to...

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: They further read: (f) the applicant has been unable also, for verified financial or related reasons, since the inception of the new registration system, to acquire a fishing vessel to engage in sea fishing of the same class or description as was carried out by the vessel lost at sea-----

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: -----or any other sea fishing vessel which is subject to the replacement policy regime; (g) the applicant did not receive any financial benefit from the loss. The capacity of a fishing vessel lost at sea will be accepted as replacement capacity for licensing purposes only if it is to be used for the purposes of sustaining or maintaining a family tradition of sea fishing. Any capacity...

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: The Department is corresponding with the Ombudsman's office with regard to this scheme and the matter has not been concluded. Detailed legal advice was sought from the Attorney General's office, was considered and acted upon. It would be virtually impossible to answer the Deputy's question in detail, for a number of reasons. There are perhaps three considerations of some importance, two of...

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: That might come into play. That is one element of the answer to the point made by Deputy Sheahan. Second, apart from the closing date that was not met by the applicant in question, it is difficult to speculate what judgments will be made regarding other applicants who might not have met other conditions of the scheme. It is impossible to know how many there were. It is also important to...

Fishing Vessels. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: It is a very common error. People assume in these cases that a quota was provided rather than financial recompense. What was provided was tonnage and kilowatt hours, which is considerably different in many respects. A condition was imposed on the scheme which I understand was included at the insistence of the Minister, namely, that it could not be tradeable or otherwise disposed of to the...

Teagasc Issues. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: The Government has not made any decisions regarding implementation of the recommendations in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programme as they concern Teagasc. The 2010 Estimates process is under way and measures to secure savings in the public finances will be considered in that context. It is not possible at this stage to comment on the specific...

Teagasc Issues. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: The remit of Teagasc is very wide, as Deputy Sherlock rightly said. Considerable emphasis is being placed on co-operation with other third level colleges and universities with regard to research, but also co-operation on development with agrifood businesses both in this country and abroad. A substantial element of the programme of Teagasc in the revised programme will be directing some of...

Teagasc Issues. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: As I explained, the Minister's role is a policy one; the board of Teagasc has a particular role. The document which sets out the remit and functions of Teagasc to 2030 considers issues and areas referred to by Deputy Creed and previously by Deputy Sherlock. It charts a course for Teagasc which clearly includes an input from recently qualified graduates and others who have a contribution to...

Teagasc Issues. (15 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: Members will be aware the report has been presented to Government but has not in any sense been sanctioned by it at this stage. The consideration of the report can only happen in any realistic sense in the context of the consideration of the budgets for 2010, 2011 and subsequent years. There is no other way it could be done. The governance of Teagasc is, in the first instance, the...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: Is the Deputy running?

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: The existing provisions of section 10(2) of the Bill allow the authority to consider submissions from or on behalf of a licensed applicant, to invite submissions or information from the applicant or any other party and to examine any other matter it deems relevant to the public interest. These provisions are such to facilitate the invitation and consideration of submissions from any local...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: Senator Bacik is partially correct, at least with regard to my likely reply. Section 10(3) provides that it is a prerequisite for the consideration of an application that the applicant must establish that he or she has the capacity to provide the proposed bus service to which the application refers, that he or she has complied with relevant national and international legislation and that he...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: Consolidated legislation of the kind referred to by the Senator is often desirable and fairly difficult to achieve in many instances. I was honoured to bring the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 through the Oireachtas. The provisions of that legislation have stood up very well and the inspectorate does its job well. We are well served in that regard. The road passenger...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: The intent of this section does not relate to competition matters, which are of concern to Senators Quinn, O'Malley and Cannon. It relates to a case where, for example, there is an existing service at 9 a.m. and an application for one or more services at exactly the same time on exactly the same route. The authority, on foot of this provision, has the capacity to take account of the...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: I will convey to the Minister, Deputy Dempsey, the concerns expressed by Senators on both sides of the House regarding the overall impact of the section and how one element balances against another. It is important we remember Senator Norris's points on the types of services and difficulties we had in the less regulated market of the 1930s. It is also important to remember that the Bill...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: Section 13 provides that the authority may apply conditions to the grant of either an original, amended or renewed bus licence. Notwithstanding the generality of subsection (1), subsection (2) sets out a series of specific areas relating to the licence holder's provision of a service, ticketing, number of vehicles, accessibility and emissions standards in respect of which conditions may be...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Tony Killeen: It is a commercial decision.