Results 5,561-5,580 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Sale of State Assets: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to share time with Deputy Tom Barry. In theory, this debate is about the sale of State assets but in reality, it is about the sale of the country by Fianna Fáil. The Deputies and Ministers of the previous Government destroyed our country and put our economy into rack and ruin. They left us with over 440,000 people unemployed. The positive, constructive debate that the country...

Sale of State Assets: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: Deputy Fleming and his colleagues already sold the country down the river. Tens of thousands of households are in serious debt because of the way Fianna Fáil mismanaged and abused the privilege of government. On this side of the House, we are not doing so and we are using the sale of some of our State assets, and in the case of the ESB a majority share in the company, to bring about more...

Sale of State Assets: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: That would be job creation.

Sale of State Assets: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Deputy's speech sounds very old. It reminds me of Joseph Stalin in 1922.

Sale of State Assets: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: Does the Deputy not understand the concept of a minority shareholding?

Private Rented Accommodation (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: Following serious concerns regarding fire safety at Priory Hall, Dublin City Council acted quickly and withdrew its tenants from the development approximately two years ago. Private tenants were advised by the council at the time that serious safety concerns existed. Dublin City Council initiated legal proceedings on 17 August, 2010 in respect of compliance with fire safety regulations....

Private Rented Accommodation (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I completely agree with Deputy Broughan in the context of his concerns regarding families and people, young and old, who have been discommoded. I am aware that there has been a particular impact on young children and senior residents. I understand that there are some 96 senior citizens involved. The High Court has ordered that the families be accommodated at the place at which they are...

Private Rented Accommodation (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I agree with the Deputy and he is absolutely correct. As I stated earlier, what he outlined is the intention of the Minister, Deputy Hogan, and this Government. They will ensure that from when these regulations become mandatory, another case like this will never happen again. The Deputy is right in saying the process has not worked, which is why the current appalling case has come about....

Private Rented Accommodation (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I agree with Deputy Ellis and the position must change radically. I stated to the two previous Deputies that the Government is absolutely committed to this. There is no reason a meeting with the residents' association cannot be accommodated as soon as possible. Those people would have experience of how badly things can go wrong in the construction industry. They are the victims but their...

Private Rented Accommodation (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: As I noted earlier, the Minister's powers in this respect deal with making regulations, although it is the local authority which enforces them. The statutory obligation is on the developer to fix what has gone wrong. There have been important recommendations on the suitability of the accommodation, and I take the point that if somebody has a young family, particularly over the Christmas...

Private Rented Accommodation (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I agree with Deputy Wallace's comments on supervision and accountability. Mandatory accountability means developers will be accountable in law and there will be no doubt about the responsibilities. I repeat my earlier comments. The Minister, Deputy Hogan, is particularly concerned that there should be more efficient pooling of building control staff and resources across the local authority...

Private Rented Accommodation (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I agree with the Deputy. I will bring his comments and those of the other Members to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Hogan. I suggest this will be a matter of priority for the Joint Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht. I will bring all their comments to the attention of the Department. Each local authority has its own statutory responsibility. There...

Private Rented Accommodation (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: A key point is that it is a matter for Dublin City Council to deal with the statutory functions and duties that it has.

Private Rented Accommodation (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister has no function in this matter except in regard to the making of the regulations. Clearly, the views of Members of the Dáil and issues that they specifically mentioned will be brought to the attention of Dublin City Council. I am not familiar with the report the Deputy mentioned but I will ensure I get a response on that issue from the Department for the Deputy

Private Rented Accommodation (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will bring all the points Deputy Ellis made to the attention of the Department and the Minister, Deputy Hogan. I fully support the thrust of what he is saying. We need to get on top of all these issues, identify the problems and have them dealt with by the appropriate local authority as quickly as possible.

Waste Management (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I called the first public meeting on it.

Waste Management (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am very familiar with this issue and for several years have been concerned about the operation of the waste facility at Whiteriver, and about the whole issue of the incinerator at Carranstown and the history of how it came about. I certainly commend the residents on their activity in ensuring, particularly in recent years, any release of toxic or noxious gases into the air has been dealt...

Waste Management (18 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is clear that the residents, Deputy Nash and I agree on the fundamental issue that no hazardous ash should be dumped at the facility. The statutory authority to decide this issue does not rest with the Deputy, me or Louth County Council but with the Environmental Protection Agency. I am sure the Deputy, if he has not already done so, will inform the agency of his concerns which I...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (19 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Government announced the establishment of the New Economy and Recovery Authority (NewERA), in line with the Programme for Government on 29 September last. NewERA is being initially established on a non-statutory basis as a Shareholder Executive within the NTMA. NewERA will carry out the corporate governance function, from a shareholder perspective, of ESB, Bord Gáis, EirGrid, Bord na...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (19 Oct 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Government announced the establishment of the New Economy and Recovery Authority (NewERA), in line with the Programme for Government on 29th September last. NewERA is being initially established on a non-statutory basis as a Shareholder Executive within the NTMA. NewERA will carry out the corporate governance function, from a shareholder perspective, of ESB, Bord Gáis, EirGrid, Bord na...