Results 6,021-6,040 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pyrite Remediation Programme (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I agree with the thrust of the Deputy's argument. As he correctly noted, this is a serious a problem. I stress, however, that the Minister established the independent panel in June 2011 and it did not report until earlier this year. He has held a number of significant meetings with all of the stakeholders and insists that responsibility for meeting the costs of addressing the pyrite...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pyrite Remediation Programme (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Local authority problems in places such as Ballymun are being addressed successfully.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pyrite Remediation Programme (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Fingal County Council is not being criticised. The council dealt with the issue adequately as soon as it came to its notice in 2007. However, this matter never appeared on the building horizon until it occurred.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pyrite Remediation Programme (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: None of the academic or training courses for professionals, inspectors of buildings and so on viewed it as an issue. The problem is being addressed. I agree with Deputy Ellis, in that the standards must be independent and stand up to scrutiny, and the job must be done and certified. A home owner will have a certification to the effect that the house is pyrite free. Notwithstanding...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Taxation (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: On a positive light, when people go to a Garda station to say that their car has not been driven for X amount of time and therefore they do not have to pay their motor tax, it is commonly referred to as gapping. We are dealing with that. The loss to the Exchequer is believed to be approximately €55 million per annum. The matter will be dealt with shortly. The Minister, Deputy Hogan,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Taxation (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I refute that utterly. Coming from a party which in 1977 – perhaps the Deputy was not around then-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Taxation (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I remind him that Fianna Fáil did away with motor tax completely.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Taxation (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I did not interrupt Deputy Cowen. Let me repeat, in 1977 the then Fianna Fáil Government did away completely with all motor taxation-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Taxation (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: -----and household charges.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Taxation (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is one of the reasons we got into the current mess. We are trying to clear up the last mess Fianna Fáil made when in government and part of the process is, unfortunately, what needs to happen. Any differentiation that existed previously with reduced CO2 emissions will continue even in the event of a change.

Other Questions: Household Charge (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: This time tomorrow the Deputy will have the answer to those questions. I cannot say what may or may not be in the budget.

Other Questions: Household Charge (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: No. I am trying to answer the Deputy's questions fairly. His questions are about the household charge and not about the property tax. As I said, the property tax, if there is one, will be fully debated tomorrow. The report on the property tax should be published shortly thereafter. There will be total transparency about what is happening and where it is happening. I am not in a position...

Other Questions: Household Charge (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The household charge is in place for this year and if there are changes in the budget for next year, that policy will be announced tomorrow. If anybody is successfully pursued through the courts, the person who loses that case is liable for costs. I presume, therefore, that if a local authority is successful in a prosecution-----

Other Questions: Household Charge (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: -----it would be able to recover its costs from the person found to be liable.

Other Questions: Pyrite Issues (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61, 62 and 84 together. The implementation of many of the recommendations in the pyrite report requires the involvement and co-operation of a number of parties, and implementation will be on a progressive basis. Given their particular impact on affected homeowners, priority is being given to the recommendations dealing with the establishment of a resolution...

Other Questions: Pyrite Issues (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: A key factor is that only five of the 1,200 quarries in the country have been identified as being involved in pyrite. I am not making little of the problem when I say that a total of five quarries are involved. The known spread of pyrite is around Fingal, counties Dublin and Kildare and parts of Meath and Offaly. It is a serious problem for anyone who has it. There can be pyrite heave...

Other Questions: Pyrite Issues (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Everyone's patience is wearing thin on this, most of all the people who live in those homes. We are all ad idem in this Chamber that it must be dealt with, ideally through a voluntary agreement where the stakeholders, builders and vendors actually pay for it. The Minister is clear that he hopes this is finalised shortly and if that does not happen, he will put the levy in place.

Other Questions: Pyrite Issues (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: All I can say in the absence of the Minister is that he believes the process is crystalising and hopefully there will be a resolution shortly. If there is not, there is an alternative for resolution.

Other Questions: Pyrite Issues (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is a good point. The report clearly states there is a moral duty on all of the people involved, building federations, concrete suppliers, the quarries and on HomeBond in particular, to resolve this issue. If a person buys a house in the future from a builder, where is the benchmark for guaranteeing the structure is sound? I understand that following a High Court case, HomeBond changed...

Other Questions: Pyrite Issues (4 Dec 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am only quoting from the report and if the Deputy has information about other quarries, I would be very happy to receive that. The report refers to five. If there are six or seven, that is fine. Regardless of the number, we want them all sorted out. The report outlines what amber represents and notes that the identification of pyrite in an estate does not necessarily mean that all...