Results 11,641-11,660 of 13,264 for speaker:Pat Gallagher

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (24 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: The accessibility of public transport in rural areas for people with mobility, sensory and cognitive impairments will be progressed in the context of the implementation of 'Transport Access for All', my Department's Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act 2005. As outlined in 'Transport Access for All', Bus Éireann and some private operators have already introduced low-floor buses on a number...

Seanad: Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (19 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I welcome the opportunity to return to the Seanad with the Bill, which was introduced in 2003. The Senators who dealt with it at that time will recall that the purpose of the Bill is to update our legislation in respect of the protection of the marine environment and to give effect in our law to several internationally agreed instruments. The Bill was passed by the Seanad in December 2003...

Seanad: Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (19 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: Group 2 relates to the subject matter of amendments Nos. 2, 3, 5, 6 and 31 to 33, inclusive, involving changes to the Harbours Act 1996 and the deletion of section 37 and section 38, which are concerned with passenger ship and boat licences. Group 3 relates to the subject matter of amendments Nos. 4, 7, 10 and 11. These amendments arise out of the transfer of functions from the Minister for...

Seanad: School Staffing (19 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I thank Senator Browne for raising this matter as it affords me an opportunity to advise the House on behalf of the Department of Education and Science. In the case of a primary teacher who has attended an approved course between the period 1 July to 31 August, personal leave may be taken in the following school year subject to the approval of the board of management. Attendance at certain...

Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed). (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I thank Deputy Olivia Mitchell for introducing the Bill and ensuring the continued interest and genuine concern of all sides of the House to reduce the level of deaths and injuries. In the short time available to me, I will try to address as many of the issues as possible. With regard to the driver testing backlog, while the Road Safety Authority, which is now formally established, has...

Written Answers — National Conference Centre: National Conference Centre (17 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I refer the Deputy to my reply of 11 October 2006, which indicated that the Spencer Dock International Conference Centre Consortium had recently been invited to become the Preferred Tenderer for the provision of a National Conference Centre in Dublin. As a final decision has yet to be made by Government in relation to this matter, I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be...

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I agree that if such companies license themselves to store dangerous substances then they should bear responsibility. However, why should this be the case if they are licensing third parties? Surely the House will agree that a third party storing material in an area controlled by the port authority should bear such responsibility. When the port company gives a third party a licence to...

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: It is different if a company is storing the material for its own purposes, rather than hosting a third party. The licensee should not be exonerated.

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: Before we move to amendment No. 2, I wish to draw attention to the fact that a clerical error has been noted in the title on page 5, line 9. "May" should read "March". I request that this be corrected by means of a clerk's amendment. It will not affect the Bill substantially and I would like to have this rectified.

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I said on Committee Stage that I would reflect on this point, however section 2 is a standard provision that enables the Minister, by order, to commence the provisions of the Act. I have difficulty with the proposed amendment and it does not add anything to the Bill. Without the provision for commencement an Act automatically comes into operation immediately, which is what Deputies Mitchell...

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I move amendment No. 3: In page 6, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: "(4) The Harbours Acts 1996 to 2005, this paragraph and Part 4* may be cited together as the Harbours Acts 1996 to 2006.".

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: Section 7(2), referred to by Deputy Mitchell, states that the text is appended. I believe that the proposed amendment, while not changing the principle of this, is not necessary because it is already included in section 7(2). The Parliamentary Counsel has advised that the suggested amendment is not necessary.

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I move amendment No. 5: In page 7, line 36, to delete "section 3" and substitute "section 4". In the definition of a State party the reference to section 3 should read section 4. This is a typographical error.

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: The proposed amendment is not necessary. The application of the convention covers all aspects of implementation, not merely legal proceedings. If we were to accept the amendment, we would be focusing on legal proceedings only.

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I move amendment No. 20: In page 28, after line 36, to insert the following: "PART 4 AMENDMENT OF HARBOURS 38.—The Harbours Act 1996 is amended by inserting the following after section 95: 95A.—No action or other proceedings shall lie or be maintainable against— (a) a harbour authority within the meaning of section 2 of the Harbours Act 1946, (b) a company within the meaning of section...

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I thank the Deputies who participated in the debate both on Committee and Report Stages. I am satisfied the amendments to which the House has agreed today have improved and strengthened the Bill. I look forward to discussing them in the Seanad at the earliest possible date. The Bill has been around for a considerable time, that is, since 2003, and I hope it will be enacted within a very...

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Order for Report Stage. (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I move amendment No. 1: In page 5, line 31, after "1999" to insert ", TO AMEND THE HARBOURS ACT 1996". Amendments Nos. 1, 3 and 20 were referred to in the instruction to committee motion. I want to refer to the motion before proceeding with these amendments. The House has agreed to consider the amendments together. The amendments aim to provide that port companies and harbour authorities...

Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: These amendments do not represent a major departure. When fire authorities and local authorities issue licences, the licensees have this responsibility. This legislation allows for port authorities to issue licences. If they are issuing licences to third parties, why should they have this responsibility for insurance purposes? It is basically the same set of circumstances. The Department...

International Agreements: Motion (11 Oct 2006)

Pat Gallagher: I thank the Deputies who contributed to the debate and who posed a number of questions that I will endeavour to answer. I wish first to apologise, if it is necessary to do so, to Opposition spokespersons and Members for not having more time available to debate the motion. As soon as it was possible to provide a briefing note, we did so. It is merely a case that circumstances have given...