Results 5,941-5,960 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Topical Issue Debate: Television Reception (26 Sep 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will bring the Deputy's views to the attention of the Department which will communicate directly with him on the issues he has raised.

Topical Issue Debate: Missing Persons Issues (26 Sep 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: What about County Louth?

Topical Issue Debate: Missing Persons Issues (26 Sep 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality who regrets that he is unable to be present. He is aware of the concerns expressed by the Deputy relating to the finding of human remains off the coast of counties Wexford and Waterford. It is natural that these developments cause renewed sadness and heightened...

Topical Issue Debate: Missing Persons Issues (26 Sep 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: On behalf of the Minister, I thank Deputy Martin Ferris again for raising this matter which has given us the opportunity for a useful and important discussion. It is clear that all in this House share the general concern to support the families of those who, tragically, have been lost of sea and to help them pursue any reasonable avenue for the recovery and identification of the remains of...

Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is rubbish.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (2 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I can advise the Deputy that Local Management of Inland Fisheries Ireland had been in correspondence with the person in question on the issues relating to the River Feale. Subsequently, I was in receipt on 12th July 2012 of correspondence from the person in question and following further consultation with Inland Fisheries Ireland a detailed response has been compiled. This response is due...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fisheries Protection (2 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) advice is that the eel stock continued to decline in the period 2009 to 2011 and urgent action is needed. In 2011 ICES reiterated its previous advice that all anthropogenic mortality (e.g. recreational and commercial fishing, hydropower, pollution) affecting production and escapement of eels should be reduced to as close to zero as...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Hydraulic Fracturing Licence Applications (2 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I note from the details supplied with the Deputy’s query that his constituent would like to have fracking banned. I would like in this regard to clarify for the Deputy that in October of last year, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources requested the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct research and advise on the environmental implications of...

Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: That was just Deputy Ó Cuív's Department.

Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I look forward to seeing it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hydraulic Fracturing Policy (11 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Following a request from the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to conduct research into the environmental implications of hydraulic fracturing in May 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, published its preliminary high level research into the environmental aspects of shale gas extraction in the form of a small desk based study, which was carried out by the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hydraulic Fracturing Policy (11 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Deputy referred to the Directorate-General for Energy process. Our process has commenced. Under the previous Fianna Fáil Government, a licensing option was issued, which started the clock in our process. That clock will run until November this year. Then the company in question, Tamboran Resources, must present its work programme and, by February next year, decide whether it will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hydraulic Fracturing Policy (11 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have not been briefed on that aspect, but I thank the Deputy for bringing it to my attention. However, if an exploration licence was sought which involved fracking, there would have to be an environmental impact statement and full planning permission required, starting with the local authority and moving up to An Bord Pleanála. There is no question about this. The public will be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (11 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 33, 37 and 41 together. Standard Exploration Licence 2/11 was granted last year to a consortium comprising Providence Resources Plc and Star Energy Oil and Gas Ltd. The licence, which is a follow-on authorisation to Licensing Option 08/2, covers an area of approximately 380 square kilometres in the Kish Bank Basin off the Dublin/Wicklow coast. Star...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (11 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Standard Exploration Licence 2/11 was granted last year to a consortium comprising Providence Resources Plc and Star Energy Oil and Gas Ltd. The licence, which is a follow-on authorisation to Licensing Option 08/2, covers an area of approximately 380 square kilometres in the Kish Bank Basin off the Dublin/Wicklow coast. The award of this exploration licence confers on the holder the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (11 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 121 and 122 together. There have been no new commercial discoveries of oil or gas either onshore or offshore Ireland in the past five years. There have, however, been four discoveries in the Irish offshore during this time, namely the Hook Head and Barryroe oil discoveries in the Celtic sea, the Bandon oil discovery in the Slyne basin and the Schull gas...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Hydraulic Fracturing Policy (11 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: While I have not been in contact with Members of the Legislative Assembly or officials in the Stormont Assembly, I can confirm that officials of my Department have had contacts with their counterparts in Northern Ireland in relation to the onshore exploration authorisations that are in place in the two jurisdictions. The primary purpose of these contacts has been to facilitate an exchange of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fisheries Protection (11 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I would draw the Deputy’s attention to the question I answered in this House last week, 2 October. The International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) advice is that the eel stock continued to decline in the period 2009 to 2011 and urgent action is needed. In 2011 ICES reiterated its previous advice that all anthropogenic mortality (e.g. recreational and commercial fishing,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (11 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Standard Exploration Licence was granted last year over an area of approximately 380 square kilometres in the Kish Bank Basin off the Dublin/Wicklow coast. The licence is held by a consortium comprising Providence Resources Plc and PSE Seven Heads Limited. The award of this exploration licence confers on the holder the exclusive right to search for petroleum in the licensed area, but does...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Hydraulic Fracturing Policy (11 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: There is potential for Ireland to enjoy both economic and energy security benefits from its indigenous oil and gas resources. These benefits will only be realised through effective exploration. Ireland has a policy of actively encouraging investment by relevant companies in exploration for oil and gas, both offshore and onshore. Where exploration or production takes place, it is subject to...