Results 5,541-5,560 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd
- EU Directives (20 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: I assure the Deputy I will bring her comments to the attention of both Ministers and will obtain an answer to her questions on fines and costs.
- EU Directives (20 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: Yes, sheep, too.
- Water Charges (20 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputies for their comments. As the report yesterday by the Comptroller and Auditor General shows, there is a real problem in Ireland with unaccounted-for water, with losses in 2009 ranging from in excess of 21% to in excess of 58% across counties, a slight increase on the position reported for 2008. I agree with both Deputies that these levels of leakage are far too high and...
- Water Charges (20 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: I agree with what the Deputies have said. In my capacity as Minister of State, I visited the counties with the highest levels of unaccounted for water. I have already visited areas in Roscommon, south Tipperary, Kilkenny and Galway and I intend to travel to other counties. It is essential that this matter be addressed. I agree that if we can attract buy-in from the public in respect of...
- Planning Issues (20 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning, Deputy Penrose, who is currently in the Seanad. I thank Deputies Broughan and Seán Kenny for their contributions. I will bring to the attention of the Minister of State their deep concerns and those of their constituents. As the Deputies will be aware, Dublin City Council has initiated...
- Planning Issues (20 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: I assure Deputies Broughan and Kenny that I take what they have said very seriously. I will bring their remarks to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Penrose. He will be deeply concerned about the manner in which things have been done in this estate. As I indicated earlier, the remediation of defects of this kind is a matter to be dealt with by the parties concerned - the owner...
- ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: This has been a very important debate. It goes to the heart of where the country is going, how we are going to revive the economy and how we are going to create jobs. The key is that we must take all possible steps to reduce the number of people who are leaving the country in despair, to try to keep them at home and provide them with real employment and create new infrastructure. The only...
- ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: We have a Trotskyite troika on the benches opposite.
- ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: What happened last Christmas?
- Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: Before I outline the purpose and contents of the Bill, I would like to thank the Seanad for agreeing to discuss and consider all Stages of the European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011 today at short notice. Although a fairly technical Bill, it is of critical importance to the public finances and to our economy. Enactment of the Bill is required...
- Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: I had assumed it would be circulated and apologise if it has not been.
- Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: I apologise for that. As a former Senator, I know how important it is to circulate such scripts.
- Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: There should be explanatory memorandum but the Oireachtas Library has facilitated everyone with a very detailed digest of the Bill. We all know, particularly Fianna Fáil Members, why we are having this debate; it is because Fianna Fáil got us into trouble when it was in government with the bank guarantee and the way it ran the economy.
- Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: On the absence of explanatory memoranda, I have a briefing that was circulated by the Department of Finance to all Opposition spokesmen in the Dáil and Seanad last Friday. This is clearly emergency legislation and it is important for the State that we pass it. I agree, however, that time is of the essence and this should have been circulated as explanatory memoranda but it has the same...
- Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: This has been an important debate. Whatever our political views, we are all here for the good of the country and everybody acknowledges that. I thank the Seanad for facilitating the taking of this legislation in one day. It is a unique and special circumstance, exceptional in every respect, and I acknowledge the commitment of all parties here to ensure we complete it. I will try to reply...
- Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility Bill and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages. (22 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Members for their contributions. The ten-year bond spread for Greece earlier on the Bloomberg website was 22% while ours was 8.6%.
- Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility Bill and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages. (22 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: We have recovered a great deal of ground and we are getting it right. There is hope and change is happening. We are all united on the fundamentals, notwithstanding the differences between parties. We are getting our act together. It is being increasingly recognised internationally that Ireland is different, that we are meeting our requirements and that the tough decisions that have been...
- Seanad: Company Closures: Motion (Resumed) (28 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: We should all do that.
- Seanad: Company Closures: Motion (Resumed) (28 Sep 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: A reply is being released at 4 p.m. today on that very issue.
- Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2011)
Fergus O'Dowd: How does Deputy Adams pay them?