Results 15,401-15,420 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: I have no objection to the Minister interrupting me because——

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: ——both the content and tone of the Minister's interruptions are such that he is displaying the prejudice he will bring to bear when an issue relating to archaeology arises, if he is still Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when that motorway is under construction. He has already decided that these are minor archaeological finds.

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: The Minister does not know.

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: I do not want to re-visit matters the Ceann Comhairle might not wish to revisit, but we really cannot win on this side of the House. I do not disagree with what the Minister has to say in terms of the principle of having a balanced look at the issues associated with the Hill of Tara and Skryne. If, as the Minister says, he will re-examine the matter, I would be happy with that. However, as I...

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: To my knowledge he is the first Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government who ignored the advice he was given in respect of a number of developments where his heritage officials recommended he should appeal developments to An Bord Pleanála and he chose not to. One of these was the development at Trim Castle.

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: The Minister's officials——

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: ——recommended to him in respect of Trim Castle that on heritage grounds he should appeal the planning decision of the county council. He exercised his discretion, as he is entitled to do, not to lodge an appeal with An Bord Pleanála.

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: That development is proceeding.

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: It is not for me to say why. I am stating the facts. The point I make to the Minister is that he makes decisions that are clearly pro-development, which he is entitled to do. This Bill will give discretion to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to order the demolition of a national monument or its sale or export. The present Minister has already displayed a record...

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: This Bill will legalise official vandalism of national monuments. It gives the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government excessive powers to order destruction of national monuments. It does not provide for the kind of protection or independent examination of the issues involved which would assure us that national monuments will be adequately protected. It goes way beyond the...

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Order for Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: We are.

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: I agree with much that Deputy Olivia Mitchell has said. It has taken a very long time for the Minister to bring a legislative proposal before the House arising from the decision of the Supreme Court in the Carrickmines case. That decision was handed down at the beginning of this year and it is disappointing that the Minister did not bring legislation into the House before now to allow for the...

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: It is curious that the Bill he has brought in was not published until the day of the election which did not allow for any debate of the issue in the run-up to the local and European elections.

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: I also wonder why he did not approach it in a different way. The problem which has given rise to the legislation was, as the Minister said, that the Supreme Court stated a "technical glitch" had arisen in the Ministers and Secretaries Acts which found that the transfer order was invalid. If there is a "technical glitch" in legislation the quickest way to deal with that is to bring in primary...

Order of Business. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: I would like to ask about No. 4 on today's Order Paper, the National Monuments (Amendment) Bill. When we were notified about the legislation last week, we were informed that this was a simple Bill to allow for the completion of the M50 motorway at Carrickmines. However, when it was published on the day of the election we discovered it is about much more than that. It will allow the Minister...

Order of Business. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: There are none.

Order of Business. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: It will be given only 14 days to reply.

Order of Business. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: No, that is not the case.

Order of Business. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: That is a disgrace.

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Order for Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Eamon Gilmore: The Minister is not present, therefore the Bill falls. We should move on to the next business.