Results 12,661-12,680 of 13,214 for speaker:Pat Gallagher

Seanad: Maritime Safety Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (20 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Although I would like to be able to accommodate the Senator, I believe that it should be left to the relevant authorities to decide whether or not to make by-laws under section 4 as it stands, rather than obliging them to make what could be needless by-laws. If there is not a problem for certain local authorities at some ports, why introduce regulations unless they are necessary? Such...

Seanad: Maritime Safety Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (20 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I am advised that the words "regulating or controlling the operation of craft" are an essential for any by-laws to be made under section 4. Senators will appreciate that the Oireachtas has responsibility for primary legislation. If the Oireachtas or the Minister delegate responsibilities to other bodies then it would be somewhat dangerous to leave them open-ended or to give the bodies...

Seanad: Maritime Safety Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (20 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: This is merely a technical amendment. It allows the relevant by-law making authority the discretion to confine its by-laws to specific classes of craft which require priority attention, whether it be jet skis or certain types of speed boats as it may consider appropriate. The purpose of the Bill is to specifically target bad behaviour and nuisance in order to safeguard life and public...

Seanad: Maritime Safety Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (20 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I have difficulty in agreeing to this amendment giving local authorities the extra leeway suggested by Senator O'Meara. The amendment is too wide and somewhat vague for the Oireachtas. Under the Constitution we have responsibility for primary legislation and to decide the scope of by-laws that are made. It is necessary to set down in primary legislation the policies and principles to show the...

Seanad: Maritime Safety Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (20 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Amendment No. 22 is purely a technical amendment designed to clarify that craft may be boarded after stopping.

Seanad: Maritime Safety Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (20 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: These amendments are self-explanatory. The purpose of the five amendments is to increase from €3,000 to €5,000 the maximum fine on summary conviction originally proposed in the Bill. This is in accordance with the recent decision of the Attorney General that the maximum fine for summary offences generally should be updated to increase the deterrent effect. In short it is to ensure the...

Seanad: Maritime Safety Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (20 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Amendment No. 24 is consequential on Government amendment No. 25 which provides comprehensively for the power to arrest suspected offenders without warrant. If I may refer to Senator Mooney's question, this is standard practice now and the House would agree that in a situation where jet skis or vessels are in water, in the time a warrant could be obtained for arrest a tragic accident may...

Written Answers — Central Fisheries Board: Central Fisheries Board (19 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The position in relation to the membership of the Central Fisheries Board is that the vacancies, which occurred recently, will be filled shortly in accordance with section 23 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1999. There have been no difficulties reported to the Department by the management of the Central Fisheries Board arising from the current vacancies, and the Central Fisheries Board...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (19 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The review of licensed aquaculture operations in Ardgroom Harbour is ongoing and the Department is in the process of drafting proposals for a more productive and efficient disposition of longlines in the area. It will also be a central objective of these proposals to ensure that navigational safety is optimised, visual impacts are minimised and aquaculture operations are managed in a manner...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (19 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Doonbeg Pier is owned by Clare County Council and responsibility for its repair and maintenance rests with the local authority in the first instance. A programme for the funding of small harbours within the overall 2005 fishery harbours development programme is under consideration at present and funding for Doonbeg Pier will be considered under this programme taking into account the amount of...

Written Answers — Cosaint an Chósta: Cosaint an Chósta (19 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I mí Lúnasa 2004, rinne Comhairle Chontae Phort Láirge tairiscint dom i leith mionathrú agus daingniú na haille i gcomharsanacht Ché Heilbhic de chostas measaithe €500,000. Tá ceist deontais ón Státchiste i mbliana i gcomhair cosaint an chósta faoi bhreithniú ag an am seo, ag tabhairt san áireamh an méid cistí ar fáil agus na tosaióchtaí náisiúnta ina leith.

Written Answers — Lough Swilly: Lough Swilly (19 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The port area of Lough Swilly is designated as smooth waters within a line from Buncrana to Muckarnish Point and as partially smooth waters within a line from Dunree Head to Portsalon. Port areas were originally derived early in the 19th century and were appropriate for trading and operating conditions at that time. The maritime safety directorate of the Department re-examined this matter in...

Written Answers — Coastal Erosion: Coastal Erosion (19 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Wexford County Council recently forwarded proposals for funding for coast protection works to the Department. A proposal regarding Doogan's Warren, Rosslare, for soft engineering solutions to protect the dune system and to promote dune regeneration, at an estimated cost of €30,000, was included in the council's proposals as its number four priority. These proposals are under consideration...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (19 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Dublin Port Company applied in March 2002 for ministerial consent for the reclamation of 21 hectares of foreshore in Dublin Bay. As private ownership of the foreshore in question was claimed, the application was made in accordance with the provisions of sections 10 and 13, as amended, of the Foreshore Act, 1933. Issues arose concerning proof of ownership of this area of foreshore and these...

Seanad: Telecommunications Services. (14 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I should like to thank Senator Kitt for raising the issue of a metropolitan area network, MAN, for Tuam and for giving me the opportunity to outline the present situation. In March 2002, the Government set out its aim of placing Ireland within the top 10% of OECD countries for broadband connectivity within three years. Although the provision of telecommunications services, including...

Written Answers — Water Sports Vehicles: Water Sports Vehicles (13 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The maritime safety directorate and law division of the Department are currently working to bring forward an updated Maritime Safety Bill which takes account of amendments arising from the passage of the Bill through the Seanad. The Bill provides powers for local authorities to regulate the operation of jet skis and other mechanically propelled sport and leisure craft in their areas. It also...

Seanad: Port Development. (13 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I thank Senator Morrissey for raising this important issue on the Adjournment and for giving me the opportunity to outline the Government's position on port capacity. Of course, ports are vitally important to us. As was stated, 99% of our exports and imports go through our ports, and we are very much victims of our own success. The reason that we require the additional capacity, which I...

Schools Building Projects. (12 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the strategy of the Department of Education and Science for capital investment in education projects and to outline the position regarding the application received in the Department for improved accommodation at Kilfinane national school, Kilfinane, County Limerick. Since the beginning of the...

Written Answers — Salmon Fishing Licences: Salmon Fishing Licences (12 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Government has consistently ruled out buyout as an effective means of achieving the restoration of salmon stocks and has instead, since 2002, promoted the application of quotas on commercial fishing and bag limits on angling to achieve catch reductions as the best instrument available to achieve this objective. Moreover, no convincing case has been advanced as to the public good that...

Written Answers — Coastal Protection: Coastal Protection (12 Apr 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I indicated to the House in my reply to a question on 8 March on the subject of the establishment of a European coastguard that a draft directive of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union on ship-source pollution and on the introduction of sanctions for infringements, which is under consideration, calls for the Commission to undertake a feasibility study of the...