Results 16,741-16,760 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

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

Dermot Ahern: I was working my way around to it. I thank her and I know she would like me to thank the officials who have slaved over this legislation. I thank also the members of the board of Digital Media Development Limited who put in the considerable time and work needed to get this up and running. They oversaw the investment of a huge amount of taxpayers' resources in this facility and took a great...

Seanad: Northern Ireland: Statements. (8 May 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I thank the Seanad for this opportunity to report on the latest developments in the peace process. Members on all sides of the House have always expressed their overwhelming support for the Good Friday Agreement. I share the sense of regret and frustration that we have so far not succeeded in achieving the definitive progress that is essential to underpin the Agreement and assure the...

Seanad: Electricity Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (9 Apr 2003)

Dermot Ahern: Unfortunately, I do not support the Bill proposed by the Senators. Like everyone in this House, I am aware of the importance of the issue. I share Senators' concerns about the issue of safety in the electrical contracting industry. However, I do not accept that this regulation Bill represents the right approach, for reasons I will now outline.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Mar 2003)

Dermot Ahern: This is a technical amendment which corrects the language used in the original provision. Amendment agreed to. Section 2, as amended, agreed to. Section 3 agreed to. SECTION 4.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Mar 2003)

Dermot Ahern: This substitute amendment No. 2 amends section 4(6) of the Bill by making it clear that a qualifying broadcaster may also withdraw its application to the High Court for access to a designated event in circumstances in which the court has indicated that it will, in accordance with subsection (2), fix reasonable market rents after the event takes place. The intention in the original subsection...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Mar 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I take it that the aim of the amendment proposed by Senator Finucane is to ensure that in the circumstances in which there is a possible competition issue relating to a contract, the terms of the contract could be brought to the notice of the Competition Authority. I do not consider there is a need for an explicit power in the legislation to achieve this. The Competition Authority has its own...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Mar 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I apologise, but I am not sure of Deputy Finucane's point.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Mar 2003)

Dermot Ahern: It is at the total discretion of the Minister to decide whether something is in the public interest. This is geared towards arrangements in which there is a contract between an event organiser and a non-qualifying broadcaster. The contract would be available if one was dealing with TV3 or RTE. However, if an arrangement is made with a non-qualifying broadcaster outside the State, as was the...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Mar 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I do not think so. The Minister has a role in relation to broadcasting but not in relation to competition.

Seanad: Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Mar 2003)

Dermot Ahern: It is not for the Minister to decide whether an issue of competition is involved. It is entirely a matter for those who feel aggrieved. The law is in place to allow the Competition Authority to intervene in such cases. I am not sure whether there is a deficiency in the law regarding broadcasters but that comes within the competence of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment which...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Mar 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I thank Senators for their views and expressions of interest in the Bill, particularly Senator Finucane and other members of the Opposition for their agreement to bring it forward quickly because of the time constraints involved. Having been considered here, it will be sent to the Lower House where I hope it will have a similar passage. The views expressed on Second Stage were relevant and...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (5 Mar 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I am pleased to open this debate on the Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003. This debate provides an opportunity for the House to consider the important issues contained in the Bill. These issues relate to the television coverage of events of major importance to the people of Ireland. Senators will have the opportunity to express their views on these issues....

Seanad: Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (5 Mar 2003)

Dermot Ahern: I thank Senators for their contributions, which I found interesting and incisive. The latter is probably due to the fact that people were given an opportunity to receive a briefing from my officials. My ability, as Minister, and our ability, as a nation, to become involved in this issue derives from the EU directive. There is often criticism in Ireland that EU directives have a negative...

Seanad: Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (5 Mar 2003)

Dermot Ahern: It is because people get together and try to fix the price for their benefit. There was a time when petrol in my area was the cheapest in the country. The reason for this was that people were going across the Border to buy petrol at lower prices. My area is now one of the most expensive in which to buy petrol because the price in the North has risen to such a degree. No matter how much the...

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)

Dermot Ahern: Amendment No. 1 deals with Senator Ryan's concerns about the term "digital content" while amendment No.4 is in response to queries raised by Senator Quinn. I have provided for a definition of "publication" which includes publication by electronic means. This reflects expectations the agency will utilise modern means of communications in its dealings with the Government and the public.

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)

Dermot Ahern: Amendment No. 4 responds to the concerns raised by Senator Quinn. We maintained that electronic publication was not prohibited under the legislation as drafted. To avoid any doubt we extended the definition of "publication" to include the electronic mode of publication. Compellability is a different issue. Legislation cannot be prescriptive in that sense as it could lead to circumstances that...

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)

Dermot Ahern: These amendments allow for the variation of the area of the digital hub, as well as its extension, to allow for any future eventuality in the definition of the area of the digital hub. On foot of this amendment, the title of the section will now be changed to "extension or variation of the digital hub area" to provide for greater clarity. Amendment agreed to. Amendment No. 6 not moved....

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)

Dermot Ahern: As I signalled in the House on Committee Stage, this amendment spells out in greater detail the ways in which the agency may manage its property interests. While the existing provision was thought to be quite adequate, this amendment is being proposed in the interest of achieving maximum clarity in defining the commercial remit of the agency. This is as a result of us reconsidering the...

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)

Dermot Ahern: I indicated on Committee Stage that I would table amendments to spell out in greater detail what is already explicit in the Bill regarding the agency's commercial remit. These amendments deal with the powers of the agency arising from its functions to exploit commercial opportunities arising from its functions to receive income and to make payments. This highlights the fact that, as a...

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)

Dermot Ahern: The agency is one for which State funding will run out at the end of next year. After that, it will effectively be on its own with regard to availing of any possible revenue streams. From that point of view, the functions in the Bill give it a remit, in effect, to operate commercially. To make this even more explicit, subsections (5) and (6) of amendment No. 10 state that the agency may...