Results 5,961-5,980 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

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

Fergus O'Dowd: 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 hydraulic fracturing as a means of extracting natural gas from underground reserves. In May 2012, the EPA published its preliminary research into the environmental aspects of shale gas...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is a National Body formed in July 2010 from an amalgamation of the former Central Fisheries Board and the 7 Regional Fisheries Boards. The establishment of IFI facilitates more efficient and effective management of the inland fisheries resource along with an improved national perspective in the formulation of inland fisheries policy which is more streamlined,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The open season for salmon fishing in Ireland is set by regulation, on the advice of the Standing Scientific Committee, and generally closes on 30 September. I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that in light of requests for extension of the season, it requested the Standing Scientific Committee (SSC) to devise criteria that could be used to extend the angling season. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Catchment-wide electric fishing (CWEF) is the semi-quantitative technique used to assess salmon fry (0+) abundance on rivers like the River Barrow which are closed to angling and do not have any other means to assess salmon status. The data collected using this standard approach is comparable with similar data from other rivers nationally. Sampling is generally undertaken at sites...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Foreshore Licences (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Standard Exploration Licence 2/11 which was granted last year is held by a consortium comprising Providence Resources Plc (operator) and PSE Seven Heads Ltd over an area of approximately 380 square kilometres in the Kish Bank Basin off the Dublin/Wicklow coast. The licence, which is a follow-on authorisation to Licensing Option 08/2, is for a six year period with an obligation to drill an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Hydraulic Fracturing (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The terms of reference for this second and more extensive research are currently being drawn up. It is the intention of the Environmental Protection Agency, assisted by a steering committee comprising, amongst others, my Department, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, together with the Commission for Energy Regulation, to launch the research call later in 2012....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is a National Body formed in July 2010 from an amalgamation of the former Central Fisheries Board and the 7 Regional Fisheries Boards. The establishment of IFI facilitates more efficient and effective management of the inland fisheries resource along with an improved national perspective in the formulation of inland fisheries policy which is more streamlined,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The open season for salmon fishing in Ireland is set by regulation, on the advice of the Standing Scientific Committee, and generally closes on 30 September. I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that in light of requests for extension of the season, it requested the Standing Scientific Committee (SSC) to devise criteria that could be used to extend the angling season. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Catchment-wide electric fishing (CWEF) is the semi-quantitative technique used to assess salmon fry (0+) abundance on rivers like the River Barrow which are closed to angling and do not have any other means to assess salmon status. The data collected using this standard approach is comparable with similar data from other rivers nationally. Sampling is generally undertaken at sites...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Foreshore Licences (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Standard Exploration Licence 2/11 which was granted last year is held by a consortium comprising Providence Resources Plc (operator) and PSE Seven Heads Ltd over an area of approximately 380 square kilometres in the Kish Bank Basin off the Dublin/Wicklow coast. The licence, which is a follow-on authorisation to Licensing Option 08/2, is for a six year period with an obligation to drill an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Hydraulic Fracturing (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The terms of reference for this second and more extensive research are currently being drawn up. It is the intention of the Environmental Protection Agency, assisted by a steering committee comprising, amongst others, my Department, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, together with the Commission for Energy Regulation, to launch the research call later in 2012....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is a National Body formed in July 2010 from an amalgamation of the former Central Fisheries Board and the 7 Regional Fisheries Boards. The establishment of IFI facilitates more efficient and effective management of the inland fisheries resource along with an improved national perspective in the formulation of inland fisheries policy which is more streamlined,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The open season for salmon fishing in Ireland is set by regulation, on the advice of the Standing Scientific Committee, and generally closes on 30 September. I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that in light of requests for extension of the season, it requested the Standing Scientific Committee (SSC) to devise criteria that could be used to extend the angling season. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Catchment-wide electric fishing (CWEF) is the semi-quantitative technique used to assess salmon fry (0+) abundance on rivers like the River Barrow which are closed to angling and do not have any other means to assess salmon status. The data collected using this standard approach is comparable with similar data from other rivers nationally. Sampling is generally undertaken at sites...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Foreshore Licences (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Standard Exploration Licence 2/11 which was granted last year is held by a consortium comprising Providence Resources Plc (operator) and PSE Seven Heads Ltd over an area of approximately 380 square kilometres in the Kish Bank Basin off the Dublin/Wicklow coast. The licence, which is a follow-on authorisation to Licensing Option 08/2, is for a six year period with an obligation to drill an...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Hydraulic Fracturing (23 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The terms of reference for this second and more extensive research are currently being drawn up. It is the intention of the Environmental Protection Agency, assisted by a steering committee comprising, amongst others, my Department, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, together with the Commission for Energy Regulation, to launch the research call later in 2012....

Topical Issue Debate: Ambulance Service (25 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy Keaveney for raising this issue. Before I reply I join him in offering my personal sympathy, that of the House and of the entire country, to the family in question on the tragic loss of their children. It was a traumatic and awful event and we deeply sympathise with the family. The National Ambulance Service, NAS, provides pre-hospital emergency care and intermediate care...

Topical Issue Debate: Ambulance Service (25 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I again thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I will ensure his comments which will be published in the Official Report are brought to the attention of the Minister and his Department. I will ask the Minister to take on board the issues he has raised. My duty is to provide the Deputy with a response, but it is the duty of the Minister and his Department to ensure the wishes the Deputy...

Topical Issue Debate: Sexual Abuse (25 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and providing me with the opportunity to outline, on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, the policy and services in place to deal with sexual abuse. As the Deputy stated, sexual violence has a devastating effect on victims and their families and is a serious health and human rights issue. In March 2010 the Government launched a...

Topical Issue Debate: Sexual Abuse (25 Oct 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy Flanagan for raising those points in his supplementary contribution. I acknowledge and appreciate the trauma he feels as a representative of County Roscommon. We all feel the same because any child abused anywhere, in any constituency, in any home, is one too many. I concur fully with him that action needs to be taken and I believe it is being taken. The HSE published its...