Results 61-80 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: I have listened to other speakers and concur with a lot of what they said. I refer in particular to New Ross. I understand that two decades ago it was the fifth largest port in the country by volume of trade. My business background involved working in ports all of my life, particularly in New Ross. I was also involved in operations in the ports of Foynes and Waterford. The closure of...

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: Am I?

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: I thank the Cathaoirleach for reminding me. Could he tell me what amendments we are on? I will try to get back to them.

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: I thank the Cathaoirleach. It is proposed to carry out an independent cost-benefit analysis of all of the options for ports in amendment No. 2. A cost-benefit analysis must take into account the potential for commercial elements. I remember when the tonnage in New Ross surpassed that in Foynes, which has much deeper water and greater potential in that regard, and it was considered a...

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: While I made an observation there, New Ross and Drogheda were the two that are affected by this Bill.

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: I agree with much of what Senator Barrett said and I agree with the figures. The figures for New Ross Port are very bad because of a significant decline in the traffic through that port. I am familiar with ports, although it is 45 years since I operated in Wicklow Port when I was with Nitrigin Éireann Teoranta. We brought rock phosphate through that port. Wicklow and Galway ports...

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: Where the integration of a port into the local authority occurs, will the Minister outline what consideration has been given to the issue of rates of pay? In some instances people working in ports were handsomely paid which was traditional because of their commercial success. If they are integrated, presumably people will come in at a particular grade. If the salaries are in excess of...

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: It is a point that arises from what the Minister has said.

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: It is a pertinent point given that local authorities are taking over the shareholding in a situation where the operation of the port is totally integrated, not the company, but the operation including the personnel. Presumably there is a transfer of undertakings arising so that employees will have to transfer. If there is a disparity of rates for people on the same grades, will that lead to...

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: My question is-----

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: It has.

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: The amendment deals with the section on the issue of the shareholding and who owns the shareholding. The Minister has pointed out the integration. My concern is that the Minister is setting local authorities up, many of them are already in serious deficit situations, to knock-on wage claims because of the integration. To transfer people from commercial or semi-State operations into the...

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: And will be protected.

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: May I ask a question on section 9?

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: Many of the amendments on the list refer to section 9(1) which provides that a local authority chief executive may, at such time or times as appear to him or her appropriate, sell, transfer, exchange, etc., any shares vested in the local authority. Why is that not subject to a reserved decision of the council? It strikes me that councillors elected-----

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: Does it? I have seen it in the past.

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: So it is provided for. I only read section 9(1).

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: Senator O'Neill has raised a point in respect of which it has occurred to me to wonder why the Minister looks to retain 51%. It does not make any sense. If a company is going to invest in a port, it will come with some expertise in the shipping or port business. The least that party would want is management control but it would not have that at 49%. What the Minister is doing is leaving...

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: This is a meritorious amendment. We are taking a number of ports which, while they now account for only a small percentage of traffic into Ireland, accounted for a significantly greater proportion in the recent past. It is therefore imperative that they remain commercially focused and that they are there to provide competition, often to neighbouring ports. If I could extend the question in...

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Jim Walsh: Will the Minister give consideration between now and Report Stage to requiring the local authority, where the company is integrated with the local authority, to issue some formative report, which would show the activities in the port and, more importantly, show what plans it has for increasing traffic through the port? This would place an onus on it. It would then have to do something,...