Results 11,621-11,640 of 11,812 for speaker:Denis O'Donovan

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: I am not. With all due respect, I am responding——

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: I am speaking on amendment No. 7, which deals with consultation.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: We were discussing lack of consultation in the process. This is an Opposition amendment and I wish to express my disquiet regarding the lack of consultation. I cannot comment on behalf of Fenit, County Kerry, or other places but I can comment on behalf of Bantry, County Cork. The kernel of some of the amendments which I have proposed later in section 18 could be resolved if the issues...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: Yes. The Earl of Bantry and Bantry House estate own all the foreshore, about 60 miles of it, from Sheep's Head. The purchase of the foreshore was critical for any development in the inner harbour at Bantry. Currently, the council is taking sewerage one mile out of the town to be treated, which should have been done years ago. The council had to obtain foreshore rights for that because...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: The optics are confusing me a bit. This is a letter written to me in 2002 by the then Minister, Deputy Frank Fahey. It is a short letter dealing with consultation and what action can be taken about Bantry: "I am writing to inform you that I will approve Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners' application for 33.3% grant aid for a new pier development." The important fact is the figure of 33.3%....

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: I join in the call for a debate on agriculture. I accept that substantial progress has been made in the past two decades in the area of agriculture but in regard to the recent budget I have two concerns that I outlined to the Minister recently. I ask the Deputy Leader for a debate on this important issue, particularly as it relates to the farm retirement scheme. Currently there are...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: Consultation is central to several of the amendments I have tabled. As I noted earlier, I was a member of the Bantry harbour board for several years. Consultation is critical at all stages. Since I last spoke on this Bill, I held a refresher meeting with members of the board. Notwithstanding the grievances I have raised in the House, they wanted to express their gratitude to the staff of...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: I am still talking about consultation, an issue critical to section 18. The section refers to the transfer of Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners and Tralee and Fenit Pier Harbour Commissioners, etc. which is my major difficulty. There is a harbour in Bantry that it is proposed will be transferred and amalgamated with Cork Port. Amendment No. 7 refers to consultation, which is the critical...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: I have no difficulty with the principle of what the Minister of State is trying to achieve, but will he explain the position concerning the average number of employees? It is a time of employment uncertainty. There is substantial business occurring at Dublin Port, Cork Port and other large ports, which I hope will remain the case, but a number of ports are marginal. The amendment is a big...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: We covered much of the ground on this issue on the last occasion. I agree that local authority members have served port companies in good stead over the years. The make-up of most harbour boards comprises a cross-section of community involvement. For example, of the 11 members of the board of Bantry Port, two are from the county council, usually from the local electoral area containing the...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: This is an old hobby horse of mine which I raised previously in the House. I am glad to hear that the Minister met representatives from Cork and Kerry last week. This matter is more regional than parochial and is urgent in so far as that, even though we are in the middle of winter, if the new vessel is not secured in the next two or three weeks the ferry service from Cork to Rosslare, which...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: The Minister of State explained the matter, but we should refresh our memories. Will the Minister of State outline what information is required on the employees expected to be working at the end of an accounting year? The second paragraph states: "more than 30 of its current full time employees are likely to continue to be so employed full time under contracts of service during the...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: I rise to raise two matters. Moving away from the budget debate, I ask the Leader to invite to this House the Minister for Transport to make a statement on the current status of the restoration of the Cork-Swansea ferry.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: There is no doubt there is huge merit in any commercial port company being obliged to submit a report to the Minister within a reasonable period. It is envisaged that, if the legislation is passed, there will be a major contraction in the number of commercial ports to perhaps six or seven. Will the reports to which the amendment refers be laid before both Houses for scrutiny and will they...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: Are they published in the Iris Oifigiúil?

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: Senator Cummins touched on an extremely important issue. If he is not in a position to do so now, perhaps the Minister of State will indicate on Report Stage whether part-time employees will be included in this regard. I am aware from what happens in Kinsale that the work of stevedores is extremely seasonal in nature. Two or three ships might enter the port in the same week and people...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: Time flies. Progress reported; Committee to sit again.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: This section proposes to reduce the number of directors in a port company from 12 to eight. If the Bantry Harbour Commissioners are to be scrapped and its control transferred to the Cork Port Authority, then contracting the number of directors to eight will only make matters worse. Behind the scenes, we have been told that the Bantry Harbour Commissioners would be fortunate to get one...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: Perhaps this is a weasel question to the Minister of State and if he does not have an answer, he might respond to me on Report Stage. We should be allowed know the composition of the new eight-person boards. Will the trade union movement have a representative? The Minister may appoint one. What will be this new eight-person line-up? Has the Minister of State any idea who they will be? I...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Denis O'Donovan: Thank God they have no ports.