Results 10,321-10,340 of 11,433 for speaker:Michael Kitt

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: I made this point previously, as has the Minister, Deputy Gormley, when he quoted the High Court judgment of Mr. Justice Budd. The judgment argued that although a system in the main based on counties has been adopted, there is nothing in the Constitution about constituencies based on counties. The Constitution does not provide for the formation of constituencies as far as practicable having...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: The comments of Senator Hannigan are very interesting. I made the point before he arrived in the House——

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: The electoral commission announced by the Minister last week arises from a commitment in the programme for Government that refers to an independent electoral commission which would take responsibility for electoral administration and oversight and the implementation of modern and efficient electoral practices. In addition to a revision of constituency boundaries, it also proposes to take...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: I was here for some of the debate on the Bill and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, has been dealing with this Bill. As Deputy Ellis said, one of the aspects this debate shows very clearly is that there is a very strong attachment in Ireland to county boundaries. That is understandable and I have the same issue in my county. The Minister made...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: I thank the Senators for their contributions. First, I want to empathise with what Senator Glynn stated about parish boundaries and, indeed, county boundaries. He gave a good example in the case of the GAA and the pride of the parish. Indeed, that issue of the great empathy there is with parishes and with counties comes up quite a good deal in elections, whether in general elections or...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (17 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: The provision of funding for a fire station at Cloughjordan will be considered under future programmes having regard to the overall availability of resources, the spread of existing facilities and competing demands of fire authorities for available funds under the fire services capital programme. In autumn 2008, the fire authority indicated that improvement to the fire station at Templemore...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (17 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, the provision of a premises and the making of such other provisions as it considers necessary or desirable, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department's role is one...

Irish Economy: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: I compliment him also on his support for the process of ensuring stability in the banking system and allowing banks to get on with their business. What he said today about the placing of a cap on the salaries of bank executives and the steps he intends to take is very welcome. Building Ireland's Smart Economy: A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal, published last December, was a good...

Irish Economy: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: On average, the deduction will be 7.5%. I said at many meetings I attended that we would like to hear whatever proposals other parties, Independent Deputies or other stakeholders have to make on the issue. We can discuss these matters in a co-operative way. One issue raised at many meetings is the divide that has been promoted between the private and public sectors. I very much regret...

Irish Economy: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: I would like the issue addressed. We know why the link arose between pay and pensions and that changes came into play after 1995. I hope we can confront the challenges facing us. We are facing a global recession and difficult decisions must be taken. The Minister for Finance has shown he has the courage to do that. He has certainly has put his best foot forward in terms of stabilising the...

Irish Economy: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: I compliment the Minister on what he has said tonight and on providing the bank guarantee.

Seanad: Planning Issues (17 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. There have been various Government statements in regard to planning policy and national roads over the past number of years, going back to the Development Control Advice and Guidelines issued in 1982 and the more comprehensive statement in 1985, Policy and Planning Framework for Roads, by the then Department of the Environment. Policy statements...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs (17 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: I thank Senators Buttimer and Healy Eames for raising this issue which I take on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. All pupils with a mild general learning disability have and will continue to have additional teaching resources to support their education. All primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources to enable them to support...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs (17 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: Before the general allocation model was introduced, some schools grouped pupils with a mild general learning disability into special classes. Senators are aware that allocations to schools typically increase or decrease depending on pupil enrolment. In the case of classes for mild general learning disability the normal pupil teacher ratio that applies is 11:1. However, the Department of...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs (17 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: I undertake to bring the points the Senator has raised to the Minister's attention, particularly in respect of the Acts which were not mentioned in the question he put down.

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: Preparation of legislation in regard to management companies for apartment complexes is a matter in the first instance for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Section 22 of the Fire Services Act 1981 empowers fire authorities to inspect any land or building, including apartment complexes, for the purpose of the Act. Under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003, fire authorities...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: My Department has funded a pilot programme, proposed by the National Rural Water Monitoring Committee, to test a range of new, small-scale waste water collection and treatment systems under Irish conditions. The objective of the pilot programme is to evaluate new approaches to meeting the wastewater collection and treatment needs of rural communities and to examine the potential role for...

Written Answers — Radon Gas: Radon Gas (5 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in variable amounts in rocks and soil. When it surfaces in the open air, it is quickly diluted. However, where it enters an enclosed space, such as an ordinary building, it can, under certain circumstances accumulate to reach unacceptably high concentration levels. Radon is a known carcinogen and contributes to the incidence of lung...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (5 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: The provision of a fire service, including equipment and personnel, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities. The Department supports the local fire authorities through the setting of general policy, the provision of capital funding, the issue of guidance to fire authorities in relation to fire prevention, training support and operational matters and other such initiatives....

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Michael Kitt: I thank Senators on all sides of the House for their contributions to the debate which was interesting. Because I was only here for part of it I cannot comment on all that was said, but I was very interested in what I heard. In the time available I will respond to some of the issues raised; matters can be examined in more detail on Committee Stage. Most Senators acknowledged the integrity...