Results 6,121-6,140 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Seanad: Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (31 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Seanad for agreeing to take all Stages of this Bill this afternoon. This is the third time the legislation on this issue has been adjusted by the Oireachtas. The purpose of the Bill is to give the undertaking that the Government must come back to the House if it is a question of the total amount of the loan to Greece being changed. However, if the conditions other than that...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes (5 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Senator for bringing this matter to the attention of the Department. I am responding to the debate on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan. Contracts for a wastewater treatment plant and a network upgrade for phase 2 of the Bandon sewerage scheme were included in the 2010-13 water services investment programme of the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes (5 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will bring the views expressed by the Senator to the attention of the Minister. I want to say clearly that all county councils have procedures for asking questions and for the interrogation of officials in regard to any issue. What I would do, if it was in my county, is contact the county manager, get a meeting with the officials and get the facts on the table. If as the Senator alleges,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Sale of State Assets (5 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Ó Domhnaill as ucht an t-ábhar seo a ardú inniu. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney. Coillte was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act 1988, with the two shareholders being the Minister for Public Enterprise and the Minister for Agriculture. As the...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Charges (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy McHugh for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister who is unavoidably absent. I ask Deputies to excuse any errors I may make in reading out replies as I am using a pair of borrowed reading glasses, having lost my own glasses this afternoon. The programme of revaluing all commercial and industrial properties in the State for rateable valuation...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Charges (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy McHugh for his proposals, which I will bring to the attention of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. He is correct that we need a strategy for the Border counties as they face different threats from counties such as Cork and Kerry. For example, different tax rates apply across the Border and various other competitive issues arise in the region. While valuations...

Topical Issue Debate: Asylum Process (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: No, he has just left.

Topical Issue Debate: Asylum Process (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy Nolan for raising this matter. I am not in the Department of Justice and Equality, but I am present in the House. I apologise for the Minister, Deputy Shatter, being unable to take this debate. The judgment of Mr. Justice Hogan in the High Court, delivered on 23 January, deals with an applicant's right to be heard in the context of an application for subsidiary protection....

Topical Issue Debate: Asylum Process (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will be happy to bring the Deputy's opinions to the attention of the Minister. The Minister has asked me to advise the Deputy that he is unable to take this debate because he will be in the Seanad from 4.30 p.m. until 8.30 p.m. on Second Stage of a defence Bill. He will also take Private Member's business and the Adjournment debates in the Seanad. Obviously, the Minister is concerned...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Reform (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am very sorry that I am not the Minister for Education and Skills, but if I were, I would be very happy to be present. The Minister, Deputy Quinn, is unavoidably absent this afternoon. I would not infer that his absence is not without good cause. I am happy to respond to the issue raised on behalf of the Minister. The Deputy is referring to an announcement in budget 2012 that the means...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Reform (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I assure the Deputy his comments will be brought to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Quinn. I repeat what the Minister said in his statement, namely, that there is absolutely no question of any particular group such as farmers being targeted in terms of this issue. Clearly, the objective of the Government is to make sure that those who need to get student grants get them. Some 76,600...

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputy for bring this matter before the House and I assure him that his comments will be brought to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Reilly, who is unavoidably absent. The Minister fully acknowledges the challenges that these patients are currently facing and the need for the provision of a dedicated haemodialysis service in Wexford for these patients. The Minister is...

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will bring the Deputy's comments to the attention of the Minister for Health and the HSE.

National Lottery Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Deputy is in a different lottery now.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (6 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time". Bille an-thábhachtach é seo agus tá sé práinneach go ndíreoimís ar chúrsaí uisce ach go háirithe. Tá sé soléir anois go mbeidh Irish Water, nó Uisce Éireann, ag tosnú mar fhoireann dhleathach agus go mbeidh sé ag díriú ar na ceisteanna...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: They pay a domestic charge of, on average, €1,000 per household.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Deputy should get his facts right.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will respect the Deputy but I expect the truth.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: If it is helpful to do so.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is £789.