Results 12,361-12,380 of 13,214 for speaker:Pat Gallagher

Maritime Safety Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (21 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I assume there is some misunderstanding here because I will not be soft on alcohol or drugs. In the case of someone operating, assisting or fulfilling the function of watch on a vessel, the clear message from this House is that persons must not be in charge of, or operate, vessels while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Although there is no permissible level, perhaps zero tolerance is...

Maritime Safety Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Order for Report Stage. (21 Jun 2005)

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

Maritime Safety Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (21 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I move amendment No. 1: In page 5, line 9, after "1946," to insert the following: "SECTION 222B OF THE FISHERIES (CONSOLIDATION) ACT 1959,". This amendment inserts a reference to section 222B of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959, which is amended by a new section 53 being inserted as part of the Bill. It is linked with amendment No. 52.

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (16 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Garnish Pier is owned by Cork County Council and responsibility for its maintenance and development is a matter for the local authority in the first instance. Cork County Council submitted a proposal to the Department in 2003 for works to Garnish Pier at an estimated cost of €750,000. A programme for the funding of small harbours within the overall 2005 fishery harbours development...

Written Answers — Fishing Vessel Inspections: Fishing Vessel Inspections (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The proposals to which the Deputy refers relate to the establishment of a Community Fisheries Control Agency. At the EU Fisheries Council in March 2005, final agreement was reached to establish this agency. This agency is the logical progression of the common fisheries policy as it has developed since the early 1980s. All available scientific information indicates the necessity to support the...

Written Answers — Coastal Protection: Coastal Protection (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: No final decision has been made on the question of acquisition of an emergency towing vessel, ETV, capacity for Ireland. The matter is still under consideration in the Department which is examining options on how the service could be delivered in the context of both the very significant costs projections and complex operational requirements associated with the provision of ETV capability. In...

Written Answers — Coastal Protection: Coastal Protection (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Construction of a station house at Ballycotton coastal unit is not included under the Irish Coast Guard's Station House Building Programme in 2005. However, a preliminary feasibility study on site suitability is at present being carried out by the Office of Public Works, OPW, which manages the building programme for the Coastguard. This study will enable me to determine the approach to be...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Deputy's question refers to new EU quota rules as being the basis for recent protests by scallop fishermen. There are, however, no quotas on scallops, in contrast to other key whitefish species. The issue on scallops concerns the management of fishing effort, the framework for which was agreed at EU level in 2003 with the support of the Irish fishing industry. The need to establish a...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I understand that the Deputy is referring to a suggestion that a proposal is being developed for a European Community directive dealing with the employment of officers and ratings on ferries and that the proposal would deal with the nationality of these seafarers. The Department is not aware of any such proposal.

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The decision to transfer the services of the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre from Dublin was taken on foot of a study of the Coastguard undertaken by independent consultants. Reflecting advances in modern communications technologies, the consultants recommended that the Coastguard should operate two control centres as opposed to the three centres that exist at present. Communications...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Government's ports policy statement, which I launched in January 2005, states that the continued operation of many of the regional harbours under the outdated provisions of the Harbours Act 1946 is unsustainable on the grounds of good governance. The policy statement reiterated the view that most of these harbours would best achieve their potential through their transfer to local...

Written Answers — Industrial Disputes: Industrial Disputes (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Industrial dispute issues fall primarily within the ambit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes is a matter for the parties involved. The State provides the industrial relations dispute settlement machinery free-of-charge to assist this process, which, in line with the general principles of industrial relations in...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry: Fishing Industry (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The ovigerous sea lice levels recorded at the fish farm in Killary Harbour during inspections carried out by the Marine Institute in the period from January to May of this year are set out in the following table: Inspections 2005 Average number of ovigerous lice per fish January 0.27 February 0.74 March (i) 0.5 (ii) 0.71 April 0.36 May (i) 0.13 (ii) 0.02 A sea lice...

Written Answers — Vessel Registration: Vessel Registration (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I am reviewing the legislative provisions underpinning the current arrangements for the registration of ships in Ireland under the Mercantile Marine Act 1955, as amended. My overall objective is to ensure that the register operates in the most efficient manner possible and fully reflects the needs of a modern shipping industry. I also want to ensure that only those ships that conform to the...

Written Answers — Fishing Vessel Licences: Fishing Vessel Licences (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Fishing boats are not licensed on the basis of individual species of fish. For the purpose of licensing the fleet is divided into five segments: pelagic, beamer, polyvalent, specific and aquaculture. Each segment provides for a certain level of entitlement as regards species but those entitlements may be subject to further restrictions such as quotas, area preclusions, etc. In principle boats...

Written Answers — Ferry Services: Ferry Services (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: All merchant vessels of any significant size must be registered. There are over 140 ship registers in operation worldwide. Ship registers impose obligations on ship owners regarding maintenance, crewing standards and certification of those matters by the flag state or inspection bodies duly authorised by the flag state. My responsibilities in regard to enforcing these obligations are confined...

Written Answers — Fishery Offences: Fishery Offences (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The statistics to which the Deputy refers were required to be included in the report to the European Commission by reference to individual instances of the rules of the common fisheries policy having been seriously infringed. Ireland's data could not be broken down into that level of detail. The data available to the Department did not give a breakdown of the penalty imposed by the court for...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I met with representatives of snap net fishermen who operate on the River Suir in Carrick-on Suir on 3 June. The fishermen's representatives explained to me their concerns in relation to the location of the outfall for the Carrick-on Suir waste water treatment plant and the disruption that they consider it will cause to their operations. I have noted the issues and concerns that were raised...

Written Answers — Common Fisheries Policy: Common Fisheries Policy (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: My Department has taken a number of initiatives to ensure compliance with the new Common Fisheries Policy. These include the additional use of information technologies and a comprehensive review of the human resources required to ensure the delivery of an effective system of control. Following the review it is accepted that additional resources are required in order to fully implement the new...

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (15 Jun 2005)

Pat Gallagher: In January of this year, I launched the Government's ports policy statement. The policy statement aims to better equip the port sector and its stakeholders to meet national and regional capacity and service needs. One of the key challenges that lies ahead is the provision of adequate in-time port capacity, particularly for unitised trade. The policy statement sets out a framework to ensure...