Results 16,721-16,740 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, in all that it does, is obliged to publish and consult. From my recollection, it has always published on the Internet. Equally, my Department, of all Departments, is the one that puts decisions made on many issues on our website for public consultation. We have discussed this issue in reference to previous legislation and I understand the Senator's...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: The Senator has argued in favour of his amendment so well that I will consider it for Report Stage.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: The issue of rights is a business matter for agreement between the producer of the programme in question and those who wish to purchase it and not one we should be delving into in legislation. Rights are an ongoing issue which will probably arise again in new, more significant legislation, namely, the broadcasting authority Bill designed to bring RTE within the remit of an expanded...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: As regards the first issue, we cannot force, nor is it the intention to force, broadcasters to apply or try to adhere to the criteria laid down in the legislation. I do not envisage, therefore, that the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland will actively canvass some of the obsessively commercial broadcasters, as the Senator described them, notably the pop radio stations, to focus on this...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: The Bill only deals with the development of policy on archiving, not getting an individual broadcaster to look after archiving. The idea was that it would be a boost for the independent broadcasting sector to start archiving its material. I have no wish to pour cold water on Senator Mooney's proposal but it would take a huge amount of the focus of the BCI if it were required to start...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: On the two issues dealt with in the amendment, I undertake to come back to them on Report Stage. I accept the spirit of the Senator's amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Question proposed: "That section 5 stand part of the Bill."

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: An Post has not made a formal decision. There have been indications that it wishes to get out of non-core business to concentrate on its core business. It has indicated, at least informally, that it is considering getting out of licence fee collection. That would require amending legislation but no formal proposal has come to me or my Department in that respect. If it were to get out of the...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: That is its opinion, but it remains to be seen. Question put and agreed to. Section 6 agreed to.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: The effect of the Senator's amendment is that the scheme, irrespective of whether it was a success or failure, would be wound up in seven years. I could not accept that.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I accepted earlier that I would come back on Report Stage about the review. A review is already provided for in section 5, which is sufficient. I operate on the principle that if it is not broken, it should not be fixed. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Section 7 agreed to. Section 8 agreed to. SECTION 9.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: The advice I have received is that this legislation is not directly related to some of the legislation quoted. I accept that all the Acts mentioned relate to the broadcasting sector. However, I would do something like that in the Broadcasting Authority Bill rather than in this legislation.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: Yes, I thought I made that clear. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Section 9 agreed to. Title agreed to. Bill reported without amendment.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Nov 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I am pleased to open this debate on the Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003. This Bill is a core element in the programme of public service broadcasting reforms which I announced in December last year. It provides for the allocation of 5% of the net proceeds of the television licence fee, approximately €8 million annually, to a scheme to fund new programmes on television and radio. This...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Bill 2001: Committee Stage. - Local Radio Licensing: Motion. (15 Oct 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I thank the Chathaoirleach for giving me the opportunity to open the debate. I want first to congratulate the Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources for bringing forward its report. The joint committee has been very active in a number of areas and has a considerable workload. I congratulate the chairman and also the members.

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion. - Oil Pollution of the Sea (Civil Liability and Compensation) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (7 Oct 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I am pleased that this Bill has been introduced in the Seanad and I welcome the opportunity to address the House on this important subject. I look forward to hearing Senators' contributions. This is a short but important and extremely urgent Bill which needs to be viewed in the context of the constantly developing situation at EU and international level regarding regulatory matters aimed at...

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion. - Oil Pollution of the Sea (Civil Liability and Compensation) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (7 Oct 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I experienced it myself on a beach in Brittany which was badly polluted and cordoned off.

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion. - Oil Pollution of the Sea (Civil Liability and Compensation) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (7 Oct 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I thank the Senators for their contributions. As I said to Senator O'Meara, I had occasion when I was on holiday after the Erika disaster to see the devastating effects on a beach in south Brittany which is quite a distance from the point where the Erika broke up near Brest. The Prestige disaster has given us an added impetus in our resolve. At EU level, Ireland has been very much to the...

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion. - Oil Pollution of the Sea (Civil Liability and Compensation) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (7 Oct 2003)

Dermot Ahern: It has some towing capacity, but more of a holding capacity. It is powerful enough to hold a drifting tanker in order to buy time until towing vessels arrive. There is a system in place whereby in the event of a disaster happening off the Irish coast there would be a rapid response. However, one can never say never, when one sees for example what happened in a country like Spain, with all its...

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002 [ Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil ] : Report and Final Stages. (1 Jul 2003)

Dermot Ahern: The Dáil has made a number of amendments to this Bill, which was passed by the Seanad last December. Amendment No. 1 requires the agency to include, as part of its development plan, indicative targets for numbers in employment in digital media enterprises in the area of the hub. It was made in response to an amendment put down by Deputy Coveney on Committee Stage in the Dáil and following a...

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002 [ Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil ] : Report and Final Stages. (1 Jul 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I thank Senators for their Report Stage contributions and for the constructive arguments they put forward when the Bill came before the Seanad in December. The Bill was examined at considerable length by the Dáil where, with all due respect, debate was informed by previous discussion of the legislation in this House. Many of the amendments discussed in the Dáil originated with Senators,...