Results 141-160 of 193 for speaker:Jim McDaid

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: We have taken on the Labour Party amendments. It is not usual to take on amendments on Report Stage but I have agreed that in view of today's business I will take them at a later Stage. Question put and agreed to. NEW SECTION.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: I agree that we should do everything possible for people who have made their taxis accessible, at great cost. I urge Senators to do what they can within their own health board or hospital areas to encourage them to use these taxis. We amended section 9 to provide that the commission would pursue the policy of making all taxis accessible. However we cannot include this amendment in primary...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: I will come back to the Senator on this. Section 18(1)(a) enables the commission to determine the number, grading, remuneration and other conditions of service of staff, with the consent of the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Finance. This is a matter for the relevant Ministers at Estimates time.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: This matter should be dealt with by the relevant Minister and the Minister for Finance at the appropriate time, the Estimates. Question put and agreed to. SECTION 19. Question proposed: "That section 19 stand part of the Bill."

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: A legacy and fault of almost all past Governments, local authorities and statutory bodies is that they rely too much on consultants' reports. We have many good people employed in local authorities and Departments and should rely on their ability and common sense instead of consultants' reports which have cost a lot over the last number of decades. Question put and agreed to. Sections 20 to...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: The Senator has referred to this issue in an amendment on section 29 to which I was going to respond at that stage. I ask that this section be accepted and will respond to the Senator on section 29. Question put and agreed to. Sections 26 to 28, inclusive, agreed to. SECTION 29.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: We have accepted the principle of the Senator's amendment in the Dáil. Section 29(2)(c) now provides that the annual report and accounts must be presented to the Oireachtas within three months of being presented to the Minister. Amendment No. 4 refers to Members losing their ability to make representations and Ministers not being accountable to the House. As I said to the Dáil, it has been...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: My officials inform me that the advertisements for the position of regulator will be placed in the newspapers this week. The process will take some months because the applications must be dealt with in some detail for such an important position. The first steps are being taken next week. On that basis, autumn is a reasonable date to expect the appointment of the regulator. Question put and...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: The substance of amendment No. 5 was discussed in the Dáil and it was agreed that it would be withdrawn. I reiterate that a small public service vehicle must be insured. The Senator was referring to licences when he spoke after moving amendment No. 5. However, the amendment has to do with insurance. The Senator seeks to provide in amendment No. 6 as follows: A licence granted after the...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: Senator Browne said the section was too vague. It specifically indicates the type of offences which will prohibit people from holding a licence. The Senator's amendment is vague in that it provides as follows: a person being the applicant for or the holder of a licence is– (a) convicted on indictment of any offence, or (b) convicted summarily of an offence and sentenced to a term of...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: The answer to that is "no". The public wants people who can drive safely and to have confidence in them to do that. Offences are listed in the Bill which would prohibit a person obtaining a licence, but they do not deal specifically with people released under the Good Friday Agreement. The offences listed in the Bill, whenever they were committed, continue to be offences and to prohibit a...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: It has already been dealt with in the Bill. While I accept there is merit in the proposal, I remind the House that the Bill provides through section 38 for the establishment of a comprehensive register of licences by the commission and for the continuation of the existing registers held by the Garda and local authorities. Any attempt by such a person to obtain a licence will necessitate all...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: Yes. If it is found that a person has obtained a licence by deceit, that will be taken into consideration and the commission will have the power to revoke the licence. That provision already exists in the road haulage sector, where a licence is obtained under three headings, one of which is repute. If a person does not give the full facts and his or her repute is not of the optimum, it can be...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: We looked up "grant" in the Oxford English Dictionary and the definition of the word incorporates the words "re-issue" and "renewal". The reference to the granting of a licence in this section incorporates the renewal of a licence, by definition.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: The offences that would generate a disqualification under the Bill are, by their very nature, limited to those areas of behaviour that would place a question mark over the fitness of a convicted person to be engaged in the delivery of individual transport services. All such convictions are recorded by the Garda. This information can be passed on to the commission under agreed arrangements,...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: I cannot accept the amendment or the point made by the Deputy. If we insert the amendment in legislation, we would all be before the courts because I am sure a constitutional issue would arise. When the legislation is passed and we have set up the commission, the commission will be responsible for setting its own parameters and the pros and cons of the legislation. It is not for us to...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: I have said before in regard to issues such as this that it is normally people who are experienced and who possess integrity and competence who are appointed by the Government to the various boards. It is always a point of contention with the Opposition that competent people may be appointed to boards who might be a member of one party or other. My party obtained up to 40% of the poll at the...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: When an advisory board is appointed to a commission, one does not ask that the advice given to a board should be made public. The advice is given on the basis that this is an advisory council. I have no intention of making such advice public. However, Senators should note that the Government amendment to the original section 29 of the Bill specifically provides that in its annual report the...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: I do not accept the Senator's comments. As I argued previously, the Commission for Taxi Regulation may be brought before any committee of the Houses, including the Joint Committee on Transport. In addition, the Minister will answer parliamentary questions on policy. The board will act in an advisory capacity. Those appointed to an advisory council have a right to offer advice in private. It...

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: Yes.