Results 3,321-3,340 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Public Transport. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: The key point is that the Minister says he is satisfied generally. However, he is not completely satisfied. Private bus companies who were providing commuter services, such as Circle Line, have gone out of business because of what they claim to be unfair competition from Dublin Bus. There are serious issues in this area. One of the problems is that there is no transparency about the...

Public Transport. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: We do not have the information. That is my point. We do not know what are the PSO routes. Would the Minister be happy to give us that information?

Public Transport. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Is it the case that a senior official in the Department of Transport when examining complaints on the matter formed the view that Dublin Bus was abusing its "dominant position", but the Minister has no real powers to deal with infringements by Dublin Bus, other State operators, or other organisations and cannot discipline such organisations?

Public Transport. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: My question referred to Dublin Bus. The point is that the Minister has no powers to deal with the company.

Public Transport. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: What if the company does not desist?

Dublin Transport Authority. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: He is probably the only remaining member of the Progressive Democrats.

Dublin Transport Authority. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Not alone should we use the existing State bus fleet efficiently, we should bring in the private operators also to meet the demand which clearly exists. I refer to the DTA and fare structures. It emerged during the debate on the DTA Bill that the new authority can identify transport trains originating outside of the Dublin area which are deemed to be fare-controlled by the authority. A...

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister of State did not point out that those proposals include the removal from the harbour authorities of a number of public representatives from councils around the country. I appreciate that he acknowledged the letter he received from the Association of County and City Councils, but he had to do it. In their letter, they state they do not want public representatives to be removed...

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: One of them is in Drogheda.

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is another issue. The local authority representative should be appointed by the local authority, not by the Minister. That would be local democracy in action.

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: I know that is not the way it is going. We will have more henchmen.

Harbour Authorities. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is no house at all. Whoever is in power puts in their own people.

Taxi Regulations. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: The taxi regulator is undertaking an economic review of the impact made on competition and choice by opening up the market. A key issue in considering all aspects must be the economic impact. Ultimately, there must be choice for consumers.

Taxi Regulations. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is right.

Human Rights Issues. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: The issues that brought this matter to our attention were the problems at Guantanamo Bay, the American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the question of extraordinary rendition. Does the Minister agree that the quicker that review is done, the better? We have been told that Shannon Airport has been used by certain aeroplanes which may have been involved in extraordinary rendition in other...

Human Rights Issues. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Absolutely.

Human Rights Issues. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: I refer to flights which may have been used for extraordinary rendition and whether the Garda Síochána can inspect such flights. The Department of Transport has the power to refuse permission for a plane to land. Will the Minister consider the reasons for refusing permission to land in light of this issue? Of the thousands of flights which have sought permission to land only five have...

Light Rail Projects. (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: The quicker they are built the better.

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Of course she does.

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (12 Nov 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: It may be days or hours. Beware the ides of March, perhaps after the emergency budget.