Results 13,061-13,080 of 13,214 for speaker:Pat Gallagher

Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (6 Apr 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I thank Senator Morrissey for giving me the opportunity to outline on behalf of the Department of Education and Science the position on the Beechpark Avenue site in which the Castleknock Educate Together national school is located in temporary accommodation. The Department purchased the lands at Beechpark Avenue in 1983 to provide a post-primary school in the Castleknock area. At the time of...

Seanad: Draft Guidelines on Rural Housing: Statements (Resumed). (6 Apr 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I thank all Senators for their valuable contributions on 10 March and today on the draft guidelines for planning authorities on sustainable rural housing. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, regrets he is unable to attend the debate this afternoon but I assure Members I will brief him fully on their contributions. The views expressed will be...

Seanad: Draft Guidelines on Rural Housing: Statements (Resumed). (6 Apr 2004)

Pat Gallagher: The structures and provisions are in place, but I am not sure whether they have been effected hitherto. However, I assure the House that it will happen regarding the planning guidelines if they are not incorporated or taken on board. That should not be necessary, and this approach uses a carrot rather than a stick, but if it is necessary to issue such a directive, we will not be found wanting.

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (30 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: As part of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness initiative, €335,722 was spent in the three year period to end 2002 on awareness campaigns to promote voter registration. Further expenditure of €181,945 was incurred in the same period advertising the supplementary register facility and polling arrangements in the run up to polls. Separate information campaigns were also undertaken to...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (30 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: Applications for approval in principle to proposals for 14 new replacement fire stations were received in my Department in the years 2001-03 and details are set out in table 1. It should be noted that funding decisions are not made until projects are approved to invite tenders. My Department has also initiated a review, with fire authorities, of all proposed station projects, along with those...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (4 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: The Senator will know that a car's cc, not its age, is the basis for taxation. On the principle about which he speaks, section 4 provides for new rates of motor tax for motorcycles and other vintage vehicles over 30 years old. I do not think anyone would describe a 12 year old Jaguar XJ6 as such. With the Senator living in the fast lane, I presume it is possibly 3000 cc. Of course, he cannot...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (4 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I very much appreciate the issues raised by all Senators who are totally realistic about motor tax. Taxes must be paid, even if we do not agree with them. If they are levied, everybody should pay them. A greater burden is placed on those who pay by those who are not tax compliant. The last survey of compliance with motor tax and motor insurance law and national car testing schemes was carried...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (4 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl dos na Seanadóirí, go háirithedóibh siúd a ghlac páirt ghníomhach san díospóireacht thábhachtach seo ar An mBille um Mótarfheithiclí (Dleachtanna agus Ceadúnais) 2004. Tá an Bille seo fíor thábhachtach ó thaobh na mbóithre nach bóithre náisiúnta iad ós rud é go mbeidh níos mó ná €34 milliún breise ag an Roinn agus ag na...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I thank all the Senators who contributed to this important debate. Like all of them, I am glad when the issue of local government is subjected in most cases to detailed and rigorous debate and examination. Local government is a key element of our democratic system and it is important to keep it at the centre of the political agenda. The contributions were wide-ranging and covered many of the...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: We cannot all be responsible for what our colleagues may say. The Senator's leader says he favours Internet voting, but the Senator does not. I am not critical of him. Ours is a broadly based party and we are not into hacking. The Senator's party leader obviously is and he must know more than I do. He is prepared to bring in Internet voting and to have it in the supermarkets.

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I rest my case. We need a trustworthy system——

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: ——and not the type of system the Senator's party recommends. We will leave it at that. Ours is a broadly based party and we are entitled to express views at all levels. We are not finished with the expenditure. We gave €6 million this week and I look forward in the next few weeks to making another announcement which may not be welcomed by Senator Bannon's party. Senator McCarthy's...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I remind the House that 60% of the national fleet comprises cars whose engines are less than 1400cc. An increase of up to 1000cc would amount to €7 per year, while 1400cc would be in the region of €14, which is not fleecing. When motorists see tangible evidence of improvements in the road system, they will be prepared to make that small contribution.

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: A number of Senators referred to signage. The programme for Government commits the Department to an expenditure of €25 million on non-national roads signage, over the five-year period of the Government, which is almost €5.1 million per year. I will not go into the details concerning the various counties because we cannot do them all in one year, but they will be done over a period. We are...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: The annual report will be laid before both Houses. I will convey Senator Kitt's views to my colleagues, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Brennan, and the Minister of State, Deputy McDaid, concerning the Sligo-Limerick proposal. In order to familiarise himself with that issue, the Minister spent a day examining the Killarney-Claremorris proposal, which incorporates Tuam, Athenry and Galway....

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: It is not nonsense. It is a fact.

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I defy anyone in Fine Gael to confirm that the party was in favour of the regionalisation of the country — in other words, positive discrimination for the Border, midlands and west region. We delivered on that with expenditure reaching €2.3 billion. In both the BMW and south east regions, we are wellahead of our projections and profiles. Actual expenditure for the BMW region last year was...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: If we were depending on Senator Bannon's policies, including positive discrimination, there would be very little going into the west. The signage changeover from miles to kilometres is a matter for the Department of Transport, with which we are working closely. All the funding is being ring-fenced. We will see tremendous progress in the coming years. I look forward to the report from the...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: It was, although the Senator may be too young to remember it. I suggest to Senator Brian Hayes that he should not get too involved. I wish to thank everybody who contributed to the debate. I have great respect for Senator Bannon and I know he has to make the case, ach tá an fhírinne searbh agus táimid iontach bródúil as an Rialtas agus an Rialtas roimhe as ucht an fheiste atá curtha ar...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Pat Gallagher: The origins of this Bill were established with the passing in the Dáil on 25 November last of a financial resolution which essentially amended the Finance (Excise Duties) (Vehicles) Act 1952 and the Finance No. 2 Act 1992 on rates of motor taxation and trade plate licences. The resolution has, however, only a limited life and to continue in effect it needs to be replaced by an Act of the...