Results 81-100 of 190 for speaker:Mark Dearey

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: Someone who changes a supplier will get the 5% PSO charge back plus another 9% in savings. That is sound advice to struggling households to assist them in finding a way out of the difficulty in which they may find themselves. The majority of householders, however, have not yet done that with only 26% making the change. I know the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources...

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: I accept there are larger users which need to enjoy competitiveness in energy prices, many of which are lobbying for it. For example, while IBEC's chief researcher, Mr. Fergal O'Brien, recently asserted electricity prices are higher in Ireland, its pre-budget submission does not quote any statistics to back this up. Mark Fielding, chief executive of ISME, never tires of saying Irish energy...

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: We have heard enough about cutting quangos. Senator Coffey would not believe the number of quangos that exists around the British nuclear industry. I have had experience of dealing with the dozens of them from being involved in a court action against British Nuclear Fuels plc for 11 years.

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: Then there is the waste and disposal issue. I often hear this soft purring of approval from Fine Gael when it comes to nuclear power.

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: Fine Gael should deal with this issue properly.

Seanad: National Economy: Statements (30 Sep 2010)

Mark Dearey: I wish to share time, by agreement of the House, with Senator John Hanafin.

Seanad: National Economy: Statements (30 Sep 2010)

Mark Dearey: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I will reflect on some of what can be seen as almost congenital fault lines which existed in the economy that led to exaggerated expansion and subsequent falls in our economic fortunes. I will be very brief because there is no point in doing this in a recriminatory sense. There is a point in examining the issue if we can learn from it. We have...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Sep 2010)

Mark Dearey: Picking up where the previous Senator left off on supporting small business, I call on the Leader to facilitate a debate on a subset of that theme, namely, sustaining employers. My experience over the summer has shown that many employers are paying themselves last and are among the first to take the hit in terms of pay within their small businesses. They are doing all they can to pay...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: This presents a challenge to our party. We all have a background in activism and have been the beneficiaries of pro bono work, in my case in the action against the Sellafield plant which was of exceptional public interest, as was the case concerning Mullaghmore and several others. I do not know how high the hurdle is, but it will be interesting to see how the provision will be interpreted....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: This presents a major challenge for the legal profession It will be interesting to see how the point about cases of exceptional public importance develop during the years. The Minister of State has done what can be done to allow the tradition to continue.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: I listened with interest to Senator Coffey's contribution. While clearly he is coming from a background of significant knowledge he is, in turn, speaking against himself. Portlaw is a fantastic town as a result of forward planning.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: The Senator said it was a planned town.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: This group of amendments, if removed from the overall set of amendments, would result in a gutting of the legislation. Forward planning is at the core of what we are talking about. We are talking about the development of evidenced based - the Senator is correct that the evidence must be accurate - core strategies that are consequent on the superior planning document and based on the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: Laissez-faire planning.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: The Senator has given an excellent definition.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: Some estates have barely started, while others are unfinished. Under section 53, the local authority can impose additional conditions and penalties in granting the five-year extension. What happens if the extension is not sufficient? What future amendments may be in store for us regarding, for instance, rezoned agricultural land on which drainage and initial service works for access have...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: We have a lot of work to get through this afternoon. I welcome the Minister of State and the technical amendments made. I listened carefully to the Senators opposite and believe we will find common ground on many issues, including the need for sustainable planning and development. Senator Ellis's understatement on there being a need for some tidying up will probably prove to be below the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: It was through an unhealthy set of relationships, partly caused by the shortcomings of the Planning and Development Act 2000, that considerable overzoning was spawned. This, in turn, led to speculative purchasing on the back of reckless lending. There are untold stories concerning planning, planning advice and council decisions that need to be addressed. The pain we are all enduring with...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: Indeed, the Senator is. I would like to believe that on this quieter day in the Oireachtas due recognition will be given to the truly important nature of planning legislation. This is a landmark Bill which will create new landmarks on the environment which I hope will be more sustainable. On Senator O'Reilly's point about families living in the community, I take it he was referring to...

Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

Mark Dearey: There seems to be a consistency to Senator Coffey's argument that everyone in the sector is applying best practice in all cases.