Results 41-60 of 1,338 for speaker:Kathleen O'Meara

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Nov 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: I also support the call for a very early debate on the national spatial plan, for two reasons in particular. The first is to ask the Minister whether the spatial plan is cast in stone now that it has been published. Is there any possibility of feedback, not only from areas that are chosen for hubs and gateways but also from areas that are not chosen? It will have severe implications for areas...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: According to media reports, RTÉ has stated that it was on legal advice it refused the request of The Irish Catholic to advertise. Will the Leader ask the Minister concerned if he considers it necessary or desirable, in the light of the sentiments expressed here, to bring forward a minor amendment to the Broadcasting Act to allow RTÉ the flexibility it needs to prevent this type of farcical...

Seanad: Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (4 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: I welcome the amendment for which I thank the Minister of State and compliment him on the thinking behind it. On a number of occasions Senators on this side of the House have complained about similar sections having the effect that a Bill is enacted which then takes several months to come into operation. I look forward to early enactment of the Bill. Amendment agreed to. Section 1, as...

Seanad: Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (4 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: I do not oppose Report Stage being taken now. On previous occasions my party has not agreed with Committee and Report Stages of a Bill being taken on the same day. However, as we are not contesting this Bill or the amendments to it, I agree to all Stages being taken today. This will facilitate a longer debate on the national spatial strategy later this week. Question proposed: "That the Bill...

Seanad: Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (4 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: I echo the sentiments of my colleague, Senator Finucane. I wish the Minister of State well in taking the Bill to the Dáil and hope Members of that House will also treat it as an agreed, non-contentious Bill in order that its provisions will be up and running as soon as possible. Question put and agreed to. Sitting suspended at 11.20 a.m. and resumed at 6 p.m.

Seanad: Budget Statement: Motion. (4 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: I second the amendment. Amendment put. Tá

Seanad: National Spatial Strategy: Statements. (5 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: I welcome the publication of the spatial strategy. I echo the comment by Senator Wilson that it is probably one of the most important documents to be published in recent years. However, it is a pity it is at least ten years late. The pace of development has been so fast in the past ten years in some parts of the country, particularly in Dublin, that fundamental mistakes have been made in the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: I ask for a debate as early as possible on the future direction of health spending and the Government's health strategy – if there is one – in the light of the very public row between the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Health and Children. Where is the health strategy now? What is the direction of health policy, particularly in the light of the cuts in the number of jobs in the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: While I welcome the Minister and thank him for his contribution, I do not welcome the legislation and I will not support it. Like Senator Quinn, I believe the legislation is being rushed through the House unnecessarily. It is being rushed for a reason, namely, to fundamentally undermine Part V of the original Act. In doing so, it will dilute and fundamentally alter the thrust of the original...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: This capitulation is well represented in the amendment in the Bill known as the amendment to the withering will. Let us consider the reason the two year withering rule was included in the original legislation. This was due to the well known fact that planning applications were rushed to local authorities before the Act came into operation in order to avoid the 20% social and affordable...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: What will first-time buyers pay as a result of the increase of 1% in VAT in last week's budget? Let us have a comparison on that front. A paltry levy will be paid as result. The developers and landowners, who will benefit from this, must be cheering because they have got off lightly. The Minister said he did not have a choice. He has a simple choice. All he has to do, in extending the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: I heard the Minister say that on national radio last week. Our party has legal advisers who spent a few days looking at this as well.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: The Attorney General is a lawyer like other people. There are lots of lawyers around. It is an easy way out to say that is the legal advice. I do not accept that and we will table amendments on this issue.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: It is not a red herring. By the end of this year, 44,000 planning applications and 36,000 next year will not be the subject of the 20% social housing provision. All the possibilities of social and affordable housing will now be lost to the local authorities to which they apply.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: The framework for the existing agreements was laboriously hammered out in this and the other House and at the select committee. That framework, while cumbersome and new, would have worked in time.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: I would like to see the list of local authorities looking for changes in the legislation.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: Exactly, that is the point I am making.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: I do not see from where the evidence is coming and I would like to know—

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: Thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2002)

Kathleen O'Meara: Let us look at—