Results 16,761-16,780 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: There has to be something in the legislation to allow individuals to enter into agreements with the authority. If the paragraph in question was not in the Bill, it might make this more difficult. I have endeavoured to make it more explicit and make the distinction clear as between the ending of State funding at the end of next year and the point when the agency will enter the commercial world...
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: There will be no State guarantee for the digital hub agency once the legislation has been passed and implemented. I refer the Senator to 13(2) of the Bill, which reads: The Agency or a subsidiary may, either by itself or with another person, with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance, promote and take part in the formation or establishment of a company, enter into joint...
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: As stated on Committee Stage, I intend to issue a directive to the agency to address the issues of access and inclusion and to report to me on this matter. A great deal of work has already been undertaken by DMDL â the existing authority â to intervene in issues relating to educational projects. I have seen the efforts it has made in this area. There is an official whose specific job is...
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: I do not want the message to go out that the Government is against publication by electronic means. The amendments have been superseded by amendment No. 4 which states publication of any of the reports or documents specified in the legislation "includes electronic modes of publication which are capable of being read in a legible form and cognate words shall be construed accordingly." This...
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: It is not my amendment, it is one of the Senator's.
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: This is a minor technical amendment to correct a drafting error. Amendment agreed to.
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: It is the Senator's amendment.
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: I am not accepting it. Despite the confusion, it is the Senator's amendment.
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: In relation to amendment No.15, there is a normal period of six months in which to furnish business plans in case consultation with outside interests is necessary. The Senator will recall that formal consultation with a multiplicity of stakeholders is a sine qua non for the agency and we must therefore afford it adequate time and space in which to conduct it. As I outlined on Committee Stage,...
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: While I do not propose to accept the amendment, I agree that where it is in order to publish a directive it should be published electronically on the relevant website. I would like to think that will happen. Amendment No. 4 relating to the interpretation of publication is of relevance in this instance. Amendment put and declared lost.
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: I cannot. There is no provision whereby a chairman would perform the functions of the chief executive. Therefore, the proposed amendment is not required. We had this debate at the last session. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: At present, a quorum is lawfully one third of the membership. As stated on Committee Stage, that is the best arrangement possible. To expect that proportion of the board to be present at any one time is entirely reasonable.
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: We debated this matter earlier. The precedent we were following emanates from the Dublin Docklands Development Authority Act, 1997, and also the Western Development Commission. These do not require that membership of a local authority precludes a person from becoming a member of the board. The Bill is similar in that it deals with the particular locality. It is important that local...
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: Section 15(11) provides that a person convicted on indictment will cease to be a member.
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: This amendment was tabled following the debate on Committee Stage. This is a standard provision to which Senators wished to add the requirement that the agency would agree a code of conduct with the employees within three months of the enactment of the Bill. I appreciate the intention of the proposal. To include such a level of detail to cater for particular circumstances of a State body...
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: As a result of the debate on Committee Stage I have tabled amendment No.29 which excludes any gifts of money which was a specific problem for Senators. It brings all the benefits receivable under the â¬650 threshold. This threshold is standard precedent in legislation for State bodies and is based on the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995. Therefore, I do not propose to accept amendment No. 30.
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: Unfortunately, it will not stop the lawyers. Amendment agreed to. Amendment No. 30 not moved.
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: Having listened to Senators' contributions on Committee Stage I propose amendment No. 31 to lower the threshold for the interest in a business from â¬20,000 to â¬5,000. In the context of this aspect of corporate governance of State bodies, a threshold of â¬5,000 for this agency would place it at the lowest end of the scale. However, we need to be able to appoint board members who have a...
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: In response to Senator Ryan's earlier query regarding the inclusion of the word "Minister" in the context of who would have the power to define information as being confidential, it would be possible to delete the word. This means that the agency will have sole responsibility when it comes to defining information as confidential
- Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)
Dermot Ahern: On Committee Stage of the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Bill, 2001, which is similar to this Bill, I stated three months was the normal period. I regard that timescale as reasonable. Senator Kenneally, who is an accountant by profession, made the same point on Committee Stage. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.