Results 10,881-10,900 of 11,433 for speaker:Michael Kitt

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (3 May 2006)

Michael Kitt: Having read "Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation" by Lynne Truss, which is a classic book on punctuation, I have much sympathy for what Senator Bannon said. If the comma after the word "Eats" in the title was omitted, the title would have a very different meaning. The Minister explained his intentions in respect of the section. In respect of the various...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (3 May 2006)

Michael Kitt: I support what Senator Brady and the Minister said about clarity of language. I expect all sides of the House would agree on the importance of this issue. The introduction of preplanning meetings has been very important for public representatives and the public. Local authorities must employ more planners because there is a shortage of planners due to the significant number of applications...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (3 May 2006)

Michael Kitt: Section 3 deals with permission for strategic infrastructure development. We might have concentrated too much on incineration for the past 20 minutes of the debate, but I agree with what has been said about the health implications. This section refers to proper planning and development, as the Minister rightly pointed out. I hope that is the overriding view. The board can query issues about...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 May 2006)

Michael Kitt: On the question of the register of electors, I have strongly advocated in this House and in other debates the register be dealt with on the same basis as the census. We have probably lost an opportunity in this regard. I am sorry but my mobile phone is interfering with the sound system.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 May 2006)

Michael Kitt: In fairness to the people who carried out the census, they did not work just from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. That was certainly the case in County Galway. They did a very good job for very little money in some cases. We should examine the possibility of using these people or some other system to update the register of electors. When I look at the list of forms that are available for including people on...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 May 2006)

Michael Kitt: To be added to the supplementary register one still needs a garda signature. It should be possible for a greater number of categories of person to sign so as to make it easier for people to be added to the supplementary register. If an individual is not on the first list, a garda must verify that he or she is living in the area. Other officials should be empowered to help people to register...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (6 Apr 2006)

Michael Kitt: Will the Minister of State speak on the subject matter of group 3, which contains amendments Nos. 5, 13, 14, 25, 26 and 30?

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (6 Apr 2006)

Michael Kitt: I ask the Minister of State to speak on the subject matter of group 4, which contains amendment No. 7.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (6 Apr 2006)

Michael Kitt: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This is a Seanad Bill that has been amended by the Dáil. In accordance with Standing Order 103, it is deemed to have passed its First, Second and Third Stages in the Seanad and is placed on the Order Paper for Report Stage. On the question "That the Bill be received for final consideration", the Minister of State may explain the purpose of the...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (6 Apr 2006)

Michael Kitt: I call on the Minister of State to speak on the subject matter of the amendments in group 2.

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes. (5 Apr 2006)

Michael Kitt: I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this issue and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, for coming into the House to reply. I am talking about the village of Creggs on the border of Galway and Roscommon. It is well known, inter alia, for being the place where Charles Stewart Parnell made his last public speech before he died. I commend the historical society in...

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes. (5 Apr 2006)

Michael Kitt: I thank the Minister of State and ask him to bear in mind what I have said as regards Creggs being a CLÁR area. I believe there should be some priority and if the council makes that case. I trust that he and the Department's officials will take on board the fact that Creggs is a CLÁR area.

Seanad: Irish Language: Motion. (5 Apr 2006)

Michael Kitt: Ba mhaith liom mo chuid ama roinnt leis an Seanadóir White.

Seanad: Irish Language: Motion. (5 Apr 2006)

Michael Kitt: Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire agus fáiltím leis an díospóireacht seo agus an leasú. Tá sé ráite anseo go bhfuil aitheantas ó Chomhphobal na hEorpa don teanga Ghaelach agus í mBunreacht na hÉireann, agus tacaíocht freisin ón Rialtas le haghaidh TG4 and Raidió na Gaeltachta. Ba mhaith liomsa moladh freisin a thabhairt dom Teachta Dála, Michael D. Higgins, a chuir...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Apr 2006)

Michael Kitt: I want to ask the Leader if she could find some time to discuss the school transport issue in view of the tragedy in Clara, and indeed, last year's tragedy in County Meath. As far back as 1999 when I chaired the Joint Committee on Education, many members recommended change in the school transport scheme as regards seat belts and on the issue of three persons occupying two seats, the policy...

Seanad: Cancer Services: Motion. (22 Mar 2006)

Michael Kitt: With permission, I will share my time with Senator MacSharry.

Seanad: Cancer Services: Motion. (22 Mar 2006)

Michael Kitt: I thank the Minister of State for attending this House and I was interested to hear his contribution on this motion. For seven years, I was a member of the Western Health Board, which campaigned to make BreastCheck available in the west of Ireland. Senator Cox, who chaired the board in its last year, promoted this campaign and organised a petition which received thousands of signatures. The...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Mar 2006)

Michael Kitt: I join with other Senators in condemning the decision by Guinness to transport kegs by road as it is a retrograde step. Given that we are pushing for the western rail corridor and other developments, we should press for further development of the freight service. As Senator O'Toole said, obstacles have been placed in the way of all rail developments. People even had to fight tooth and nail...

Seanad: Voluntary Housing. (21 Mar 2006)

Michael Kitt: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this issue and the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, for coming to the House. I have raised this issue of voluntary housing with the local authority in Galway on a number of occasions and I am familiar with the good work done by the voluntary housing sector. It has played a great role in providing social housing in County Galway and, I...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Second Stage. (21 Mar 2006)

Michael Kitt: I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for his fine speech. I also thank Senator O'Meara for speaking at such length. I welcome this Bill, running through which the common theme is reform. Since taking office, the Minister has signalled a number of new areas in which he is interested, one of which is pensions, to which I will return later. In the last budget, the Minister for...