Results 13,121-13,140 of 13,214 for speaker:Pat Gallagher

Seanad: Electronic Voting: Statements. (11 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: This matter has been raised because of the Carrickmines case. I looked at the Supreme Court judgment on Carrickmines and without going into the details — I do not have the time nor is it necessary — this case bears no relationship to the making of an order under section 48 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001. Section 48 states clearly and, indeed, unambiguously provides that the...

Seanad: Electronic Voting: Statements. (11 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I welcome this opportunity to discuss the introduction of electronic voting and counting at the European Parliament and local elections next June. In the short time available to me, I wish to reply to some of the points put forward by opponents of the system. I stress that the system that will be used is secure and reliable. It can be trusted by the people. It has been in use for over ten...

Seanad: Electronic Voting: Statements. (11 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: A politician cannot even have a cold now.

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (10 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: In addition to the ten fire station projects currently approved or under construction, my Department is undertaking a review of all fire station projects that have been proposed, along with those in planning, with a view to obtaining the best outcome from the annual fire station construction programme. The proposed new fire station at Granard, for which contract documents are with my...

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I thank Deputies who contributed to the debate on the European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003. As I said at the outset, this is a short Bill to implement the Constituencies Commission Report 2003 and to give effect to the European Union's Council decision of June and September 2002. I wish to focus on the Bill and to thank Deputies from all sides for their general welcome for it....

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: Yes.

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I will address that matter. I was present for most of the debate. As personal computers will not be connected to a network or the Internet during elections, hacking will not be possible. I will briefly address the circumstances which arose in north County Dublin with regard to former Deputy Nora Owen. No one can condone what happened at that count, which was unfortunate and a costly lesson...

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: Opposition Deputies stated that electronic voting would be rolled out nationwide as if we had no experience of the process. We are not starting from a greenfield position. We have gathered experience from three constituencies in the 2002 general election and seven constituencies during the second Nice treaty referendum when the system worked extremely well. It is not, therefore, being rolled...

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: Yes.

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I believe the Deputy will be more than happy with the answers he receives to the questions. The House has just recently returned following the Christmas period. The officials have been working on the questions and the replies will issue to Deputies.

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: The officials dealing with the questions have a considerable workload apart from electronic voting. I assure Deputy Allen that the answers will issue to him as soon as possible. We will have an opportunity on Committee Stage to address issues relevant to the Bill.

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: They are relevant to the old system but not to the Bill. If the Deputy bears with me, we can address issues such as the implications of the Kelly judgment for the forthcoming European elections, to which Deputy Gilmore referred. Deputies will recall that the judgment found that two elementsof paragraph 2 of the Schedule were unconstitutional. The judgment will apply to expenditure by...

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: It was introduced in 2002.

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: They are electronic voting machines. With regard to Deputy Ring's reference to the presidential election in Florida, punch cards dating from the 1960s were used, not electronic voting. Deputy Harkin referred to the recommendations of the constituency commission on Dáil constituencies. This is not a matter for tonight's debate but can be discussed when the necessary Bill to revise Dáil...

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Referral to Select Committee. (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on the Environment and Local Government, in accordance with Standing Order 120(1) and paragraph 1(a)(i) of the Orders of Reference of that committee. Question put and agreed to.

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: Following the publication of the 2002 census of population figures in July 2002, a constituency commission was established under Part II of the Electoral Act 1997 to make a report on the constituencies for the election of Members to the Dáil and European Parliament. To facilitate the holding of the European Parliament election next June, the commission dealt with European elections first and...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Gallagher: In addition to the ten fire station projects currently approved or under construction, my Department is undertaking a review of all fire station projects that have been proposed, with those in planning, with a view to obtaining the best outcome from the annual fire station construction programme. The proposed new fire station at Freshford, for which contract documents are with my Department,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Environmental Pollution. (3 Dec 2003)

Pat Gallagher: I thank Senator Ulick Burke for raising this issue. The Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts and related legislation designate local authorities as the water pollution control authorities. The control authority in this case is Galway County Council. Under the legislation, the Environmental Protection Agency acts in a general supervisory role. I have made inquiries about the matter. I will...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Environmental Pollution. (3 Dec 2003)

Pat Gallagher: Galway County Council's allocation from the fund in 2003 was €25,037,960. This represents an increase of approximately 92% over the 1997 allocation and an average increase of over 15% in each of the past six years. The recently published Abridged Estimates Volume indicates that €1.118 billion will be available to the local government fund in 2004. This represents an increase of...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Environmental Pollution. (3 Dec 2003)

Pat Gallagher: We will know more about that when the council acquires information from bodies such as the ESB, Hibernian Wind Farms, Gort Wind Farms and Ascot Contractors on the basis of the section 23 notices. Full information is being sought. We hope that all the information will be made available and a further decision will be made on that basis.