Results 3,721-3,740 of 5,550 for speaker:Martin Ferris

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Light Rail Projects Status (27 Jun 2013)

Martin Ferris: 23. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the progress made with the LUAS Cross City project; and the plans for a north and southbound station at Dawson Street, Dublin 2. [31032/13]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (27 Jun 2013)

Martin Ferris: 259. To ask the Minister for Health if he will restore local ambulance control to Tralee following the recent error in directing an ambulance to the home of a young child who died [31306/13]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Cross-Border Co-operation in Education: Discussion (27 Jun 2013)

Martin Ferris: I welcome the representatives of both institutions. We spend a good deal of time trying to find ways to bring about situations where people can work together and it is very encouraging that the two institutions represented are signing a memorandum of understanding and are well on the way to creating the type of co-operation and collaboration that we as a committee are about. I wish them...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Impact of Religious Sectarianism, Trauma of Conflict and using the Good Friday Agreement as a Template for International Relations Negotiations: Discussion (27 Jun 2013)

Martin Ferris: I thank both witnesses for their presentations. The issues they raise are difficult and they involve significant effort and dialogue to confront the reasons there was so many difficulties in the past. Religious orders and groupings have never taken responsibility for their influence on certain people during conflict. Bono was interviewed on television by Gay Byrne earlier this week and he...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Impact of Religious Sectarianism, Trauma of Conflict and using the Good Friday Agreement as a Template for International Relations Negotiations: Discussion (27 Jun 2013)

Martin Ferris: Everything we are has been learned. When one is brought up in an environment, a geographical area that is divided along sectarian lines, the way to deal with this is to deal with sectarianism. Sectarianism has been supported by the churches and used historically as a position of supremacy in that way and economically. Therefore, one must deal with it, but how is that to be done? One deals...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Impact of Religious Sectarianism, Trauma of Conflict and using the Good Friday Agreement as a Template for International Relations Negotiations: Discussion (27 Jun 2013)

Martin Ferris: Dr. Mason suggested the committee should facilitate this.

Equal Status (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: In supporting this Bill I wish to draw attention in particular to the need to ensure that qualifying prisoners released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement are not discriminated against. We would prefer to include other former political prisoners in the legislation as well. I was involved in negotiations on prisoner issues and the clear commitment at the time was to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: 118. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the use of split mortgages as a means of dealing with the mortgage crisis; if he will intervene to prevent some lenders charging interest on the split portion of mortgages; and if he will state how he believes the residual split at the end of the term should be managed. [31864/13]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: 89. To ask the Minister for Finance if he has been in contact with any of the treaty countries that the State have tax arrangements with and have been mentioned alongside Ireland as providing the international loopholes for multi national corporations, with a view to curtailing the loopholes. [31878/13]

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: I will deal with the breakdown in Programme A?

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: The actual spending of €325 million is down to €319 million. That is the Programme A administration total. That is a loss of almost €6 million. How will that affect the services? Is that due mainly to the reduction of the workforce through retirement or whatever? Is it also due to the amalgamations? I am aware of an amalgamation in my county in the past week and it...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: Yes.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: Would the Minister be satisfied that the service provider from the Department is not being adversely affected as a consequence of the reduction in staffing levels?

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: Programme A8 relates to grant-in-aid to An Bord Iascaigh Mhara. There has been a great deal of tragedy in this area recently, including the death of the Bolger brothers. There is a possibility they may have been found sooner if they had been wearing a beacon which activates when a person is in the water. Has grant aid in this regard been factored into this programme? Also, as we move...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: I calculate that the allocation under this heading has been reduced by €14.316 million. Given the excellent job done on the contamination of food products late last year and early this year, is the Minister satisfied that the budget will be sufficient to maintain the same level of service in the area of food safety and in the eradication of BSE, tuberculosis and brucellosis?

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: Subhead C8 relates to the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority. There is an increase of a little over €1 million. Has there been an increase in personnel in the SFPA or is it capital spending?

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: Yes, that is one part of it.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: My final question relates to the early retirement and installation aid schemes. I note that from 2012-----

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: This is under subhead C4. There is a reduction from €20 million to €14 million. Does that relate to people who have completed the scheme and who are no longer on it? I am referring to the early retirement scheme in particular. The numbers are coming down.

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Revised) (2 Jul 2013)

Martin Ferris: I know that.