Results 1,081-1,100 of 2,438 for speaker:Caít Keane

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2013: Discussion (12 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: I am going to go two years ahead of myself and propose that Dr. Lysaght be assisted in that type of analysis, because if he is only two years away from what it is possible to do, then that should not be taken lightly. We in this committee would like to see that map developed because it would help in developing offshore wind in particular.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2013: Discussion (12 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: On the question of offshore gas storage, for which there is no legislation at present, would it be part of the role of the EPA to recommend that, where possible, the storage of offshore gas should be in used drilling wells or other wells because its priority is the protection of the seabed and sea life? Does the EPA have a role in prioritising sites on a sliding scale? Class A sites - gas...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2013: Discussion (12 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: I welcome the witnesses to the committee. Living in Dublin, I do not deal with maritime issues every day but it is the most important area in planning because we are all surrounded by water. In addition, it is relevant to the debate on wind energy so we must ensure that we get the maritime sector right. What would be Ms Kelly's top priority if she had to pick out one thing that this Bill...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2013: Discussion (12 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: As regards my question on erosion, we all know that local authorities are strapped for cash. Sometimes the development contributions do not lend themselves to preserving the foreshore, even though it might not be in the curtilage or adjacent to it. Perhaps we could stitch in something like that so that every development must play its part in preventing coastal erosion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2013: Discussion (12 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: And the rights of way?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Dublin Chamber of Commerce (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: The aforementioned survey and consultation are being carried out by all four local authorities and I understand the decision will be based on their combined weighted percentage votes. The local property tax is relevant to the equalisation fund to which Deputy Corcoran Kennedy referred. In 1976 approximately 62% of local government funding was locally sourced from rates. The figure changed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Dublin Chamber of Commerce (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: I will start where Ms Quin finished, on the elected mayor. As she will be aware, the consultation is out there. It will be a matter for the local authorities. I agree with Ms Quin that there is no point in having a figurehead of a mayor for Dublin if the office does not have the powers to go with it. It would only be another office and another bureaucratic facility. The theory was that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Chambers Ireland (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: I thank Mr. Talbot for his presentation. Many of the same issues were raised in the previous one. In his submission Mr. Talbot referred to the motor tax office and spoke about what a private company would have done. In defence of staff in the motor tax office, private companies can usually move staff around. If someone has a base in Lucan, he can switch the staff to the city centre by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Chambers Ireland (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: No treatment is necessary if it is just used for gardening purposes or in flushing the toilet. Treatment might be required for the purposes of consumption or other uses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Ibec (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: The witnesses mentioned what had been done in Northern Ireland. There are 12 local authorities in the Six Counties. On the rates issue, in Northern Ireland they changed it for the big multiples recently so that the bigger multiples pay more rates than the smaller ones. What is IBEC's feeling on that because it has been mooted in different submissions down here?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Ibec (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: May I make a comment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Ibec (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: The property tax is giving more power locally. Deputy Catherine Murphy states it does not make a whit of a difference. The fact that there is more money coming in to local authorities from the households takes a little of a burden off the businesses. It also gives more discretion locally. It will provide an incentive to every local authority, particularly through the local enterprise...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Ibec (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: On the issue of municipal districts, Dublin is the classic example of a place where there was no town council but where there will now be municipal districts. However, this system will not cost more because in the Dublin area there were always area committees and there will be no need for special offices. Some areas already have offices, for example, Lucan, but there is none in Rathfarnham....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Ibec (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: I can see that being done, particularly where councils have some leeway with regard to cash flow. Not all have done so, but the discretion is there to do it and it is up to businesses to lobby for a move in that reduction. The AMAI mentioned that there should be varying mechanisms and rates in different areas and in areas better able to carry the higher rates. Since the 2001 Act, there has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Ibec (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: Yes; this can be counted if it is agreed that businesses are part of the community, rather than just being seen as paying rates. There are different mechanisms available to us; there are different ways to skin a cat. If areas do not have jobs and people are being put out of business, we are on a hiding to nothing. The provision will give local councillors leeway to reduce rates where...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Local Authority Members Association (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: I welcome all of my old friends from LAMA. I do not know whether one would call it elevation because local government is the primary sector of local democracy, but I am looking for a greater devolution of functions from central to local government. What is local is still the most important, regardless of where one sits. This is the first body of representatives we have had here today who...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Local Authority Members Association (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: Let him continue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: County and City Managers Association (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: I wish to put one question, given that we have all the managers together.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: County and City Managers Association (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: Local authority houses are exempt from property tax. Obviously the witnesses are the landlords of their local authorities. Do they pass the charge on to the tenants or pay it out of their own coffers? It is important that each county do this in the same way. What is the view of the witnesses? How is it being done?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: County and City Managers Association (7 Nov 2013)

Caít Keane: I thank the Vice Chairman. I am sorry for leaving during the presentation. I welcome the managers. Obviously they provide a very important service. I live in the south Dublin area so I welcome Mr. Daniel McLoughlin, the county manager at South Dublin County Council. I wish to talk about the devolution of functions but I will not dwell on the matter. One major development has been the...