Results 241-260 of 18,601 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: He is not saying the facts. I have to challenge him on that.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: This is a hugely important issue for my constituents in the Louth-Meath area. As the whole country knows, the D Hotel in Drogheda has 113 bedrooms. Apart from the 16-bed Scholars Townhouse Hotel, it is the only hotel in Drogheda now open to new guests. The decision to take over the D Hotel and put 500 IP applicants in there was the Minister's decision and it was made without consultation....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Protection (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister has not denied that he said on 12 December that the fire certification must be up to date and once evidence of sign-off is received from the local authority and provided to the Department, a contract is signed. Did his Department get a sign-off before he signed the contract? That is what he said he would do in December. In February, it is quite clear that the he did not get...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: 141. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the current discussions within his Department with regard to the long-term plans to deal for dealing with those arriving in the country seeking protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9551/24]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: Apologies have been received from Senator Mullen. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Professor Fidelma Ashe, professor of politics at the Transitional Justice Institute at Ulster University, to discuss women and constitutional change. I thank her for attending. I have to read this note on parliamentary privilege. There are limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is interesting. There is a summary and a plan to give effect to it. That is the part we hope to be able to come up with. Senator Black wishes to come in first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: On that, and without affecting your time, Deputy, I agree fully with you. Actually, having been there, I think we should go up again. We can consult with the families when they think it would be appropriate. We will be going up to the North at some stage. We have other items for next week's meeting but we should definitely go up because it was very enlightening, and to listen to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: We will definitely go back up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: Sorry-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: We will come back. There is no problem. Deputy Smith has left but he is asking a question in the Dáil and will come back. The summary we have been given is very important. I will build on Deputy Conway-Walsh's questions regarding the idea of a model for all of this. I do not think there would be any problem with it in the South because there is significant concern that this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: I do not disagree with Professor Ashe on that. The point is, notwithstanding what she said, there will be other forces out there trying to monopolise the debate, as she rightly acknowledged, and there will be vested interests and so on. I do not disagree with her. At the end of the day, those of us who believe in unity and those who do not have to persuade the other side, for want of a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: No, we do not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: I do not disagree with anything Professor Ashe has said and I support the agenda she has put before the committee. It is obviously something we have been thinking about. I had not thought about the idea of a commission before. Nobody is threatened if everybody gains. If there is a benefit for everybody, certainly in respect of their economic and social access and health, that is what it...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Care of the Elderly (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: 54. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progression and timeline for the appointment of the members of the commission on care for older people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9516/24]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: 63. To ask the Minister for Health when he expects an inquiry into the national Covid response to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9515/24]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Emergency Accommodation (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: 136. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the current discussions within his Department in respect of the dual use proposal for accommodation services within a hotel (details supplied) in Drogheda considering it is the only remaining hotel of scale in the town of Drogheda, the largest town in the country. [9523/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: 184. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to respond to concerns raised by school (details supplied) in respect of the cut to SET resources in terms of the impact it will have on the overall ability of the school to provide appropriate special education to pupils in need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9779/24]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: 260. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide details on queries relating to international protection accommodation services for international protection applicants and Ukrainian refugees (details supplied) [9780/24]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht (Atógáil) - Questions on Policy or Legislation (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: The High Court in Belfast declared today that the UK's Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 is incompatible with human rights, particularly where it relates to immunity from prosecution. Having attended the inquest last week into the Springhill massacre, where five civilians were shot dead by the British Army in 1972, at the request of the families involved, it is...