Results 65,341-65,360 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE National Service Plan 2022: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I thank Mr. Reid. I know these intentions are genuine and I agree this is the right way to go about it, but we in the midst of a waiting list crisis. These date back several years. It is has been indicated to me that children or adults with special needs are being told they are on a five-year waiting list. I cannot understand how that could have happened. I speak as a former member of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE National Service Plan 2022: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: What steps have we taken, for example, to provide services in our public hospitals outside regular hours? I refer to using operating theatres for ten, 12 or 20 hours, or whatever the case may be, to reduce the backlog. Mr. Reid said this is not going to happen in a year. In a year's time, the waiting lists will still be what they are now, with another year's worth of patients added. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE National Service Plan 2022: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Having regard to the fact that money or financing drives everything, I am aware that the current budget is the biggest ever. Is it sufficient to do what has to be done?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: HSE National Service Plan 2022: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I need to ask about the capital plan regarding new facilities and hospitals promised, over several years in many cases. Are we in a position to accelerate in this regard? The population of the country is increasing. The number of people who will require treatment of one kind or another will increase and we will have to increase the standard and availability of services in line with that....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Joint Committee (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I remind those present, as usual, to turn off their mobile phones. There are some weird sounds coming from the system, but perhaps the issue will resolve itself as time goes by. We will do our best to proceed. I have received apologies from the Chairman, Deputy McGuinness.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome Members, viewers and our witnesses. The purpose of today's meeting is to begin our pre-legislative scrutiny of the regulation of lobbying (amendment) Bill 2022. We are joined by representatives of Transparency International Ireland and the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO. I welcome Mr. John Devitt, Transparency International Ireland, and Ms Elaine Cassidy, director...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I am sorry for the interruption. We do our best, but modern technology does not always oblige.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I apologise. The communications problem has persisted.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Deputy. I call Deputy Pearse Doherty.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I am sorry. Ms Cassidy may respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I will come to that because I have views on it. The first point relates to clarity as to where the restrictions are and are not applicable. As Deputy Doherty just said, we, as public representatives, tend in the course of our business to be obliged to meet people representing a point of view on their own behalf or that of others. It is difficult to determine whether such a meeting is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Correct.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I will come back with a couple of issues. I agree on conflicts of interest and on the need to ensure there are not such conflicts and that the general public is not misled by somebody with such a conflict or a lobbyist with a particular interest by virtue of being such but who, in so far as the general public is concerned, is a private citizen having no interest whatsoever. That needs to be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: There will be a conflict between the two Acts, at some stage.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: The Senator is back again.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I thank our witnesses for coming forward and giving us of their time. I also thank the members and staff for their contributions. This is important legislation and it has to be even-handed. We have all been aware of situations where things went wrong that should not have gone wrong, and where perhaps we should have been more alert. Notwithstanding all of that, we still have to have a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (31 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: 15. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the degree to which she continues to fund infrastructure throughout the country in such a way as to encourage the retention of jobs and the attraction of investors in jobs throughout the regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27715/22]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (31 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: 25. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she and her Department hope to continue to support initiatives under the headings of rural and community development with beneficial effect to areas of need in both urban and rural Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27716/22]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (31 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: 363. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when passports will issue in the case of a family (details supplied) who have had their holiday booked since January 2020 and who are due to travel on 24 June 2022; if their applications will be expedited to issue ahead of their travel date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28166/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (31 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: 444. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 303 of 4 May 2022, the progress that has been made in attempting to have funds recovered following the transfer of funds to an incorrect bank account in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27233/22]