Results 161-180 of 193 for speaker:Jim McDaid

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

Jim McDaid: That will depend on circumstances and the nature of the freedom of information request. Even under the Freedom of Information Act, certain areas are protected. I cannot accept the amendment for the reasons I have outlined, namely, that the board will be an advisory council to an independent commission.

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

Jim McDaid: That is not the case. If one examines the Freedom of Information Act, particularly the changes introduced recently—

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

Jim McDaid: it does not give credence to the Senator's argument. I maintain that the body in question is an advisory council. It is sometimes difficult to attract people to positions on such bodies. If information on the advice they have given to the best of their ability was to be exposed, we would put—

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

Jim McDaid: Exactly, which is the reason I am allowing members of the board to offer advice to the commission freely. It will then be a matter for the commission to decide whether it will accept it. Amendment put and declared lost. Section 55 agreed to. Sections 56 and 57 agreed to.

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: Am I permitted to respond to the amendment?

Seanad: Taxi Regulation Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Jul 2003)

Jim McDaid: I thank Senators for their contributions to this open and fair debate. It is clear that all sides of the House recognise the need for a new and enhanced legislative basis for the licensing and operation of taxis, hackneys and limousines. As the responsible Minister of State, Bobby Molloy introduced deregulation which resulted in the liberalisation of the taxi industry. We are grateful for his...

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: To which line is the Senator referring?

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: I travel by train every morning.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: Absolutely not.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: I thank our colleagues in government, the Progressive Democrats, for tabling this appropriate motion. We agree entirely with them. As they are so enthusiastic about it and as I am in the Department of Transport, I hope that when the Estimates are considered, we will find them equally supportive at Cabinet in order that we can gather all the funding earmarked by Members on both sides of this...

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: —we would be able to manage this because we certainly require funding to implement our strategy which I accept will require time. The economy has been growing at an average of 8-9% per year under the combined Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrat Government. Granted, it has recently taken a dip. I recently attended a Council of Ministers meeting in Athens where the Greek Minister for Transport...

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: The report continues: The Luas trams. will have priority over all other traffic . an average of 124 buses pass up and down O'Connell Street every hour. Taxis, cyclists, private motorists and even pedestrians are facing similar delays at the city centre's busiest junction. All traffic will have to give way to trams.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: We have been to Vienna, Amsterdam, Lyons and Grenoble. In all these places, light rail systems are working perfectly because they have been given priority. If the Luas is not given priority we will not succeed in what we have set out to do, which is making Dublin a place where people are able to walk freely around the city centre. If such positive discrimination is not shown to the Luas we...

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: It is not because of a lack of funding. I believe in the intelligence of our engineers. I come from a medical background. The Senators come from different backgrounds. (Interruptions).

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: I believe in the intelligence of the people. The Senator is ensuring he will show himself up once again because, as I pointed out, the Dublin Port tunnel caters for 99.2% of all vehicles. I would like the Senator to come back here in five years and consider what he said in this House. I doubt if he will say, "I told you so."

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: If he is still a Member of the House, Senator Browne will be embarrassed at what will have been achieved.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: Let me explain the position about the Red Cow roundabout. It is not because of a lack of finance because we have €20 million to spend. The NRA has come up with €10 million and we have the extra €10 million, if necessary. We have put in place someone who has experience in this area. I believe in the intelligence of our civil servants and engineers who say the filter system at the...

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: They have been largely positive, with the exception of those who are ill-informed in the matter. The site at the Red Cow roundabout will be able to accommodate up to 750 cars. The current difficulty is how to achieve agreement between all the appropriate agencies on the technical questions of entry to and exit from the site. It is not a matter of funding or anything else but of giving the...

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: That is what the Senator said about the DART.

Seanad: Dublin Traffic Congestion: Motion. (11 Jun 2003)

Jim McDaid: The issue is being examined in the context of a study carried out by an independent adviser.