Results 65,421-65,440 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services (2 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: 381. To ask the Minister for Health when the approved three personal-assistance hours will be implemented in the case of a child (details supplied) who has been waiting nearly one year for implementation; if this case will be urgently prioritised given the needs of the child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28641/22]

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

Bernard Durkan: The first item of business is that consideration of the minutes of yesterday's joint committee meeting will be held over until the next private meeting, on 25 May. Is that agreed? Agreed.

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 is a problem with the communications. We will suspend briefly to try to sort it out.

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: Where?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Business of Joint Committee (25 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Before we proceed, I raised a number of questions at our meeting last week and time did not permit the witnesses to answer them but I listed the particular ones to which I wanted written replies. I have not yet received replies to them. I know the post service is slow and I am sure a great deal of urgency would not attach to requests from a Member of the House but I will insist on getting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Financial Services Union and Electric Ireland (25 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I apologise for my absence for a large part of last week's meeting. I was in the Chamber, otherwise engaged, and could not leave. I welcome our guests and thank Mr. O'Connell for his opening statement. I agree entirely that personal attention to the customer is vital. That will not change. Banking systems, insurance systems and every other system we want to call on can do what they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Financial Services Union and Electric Ireland (25 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: It was.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market (Resumed): Engagement with Financial Services Union and Electric Ireland (25 May 2022)

Bernard Durkan: It was an admonition.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: The history of inflation in this country is peculiar, I think. Sometimes we can see what is causing it and sometimes we cannot. Currently, there is a war ongoing and inflation is inevitable. It is the reason for it now but it is not always the reason, unfortunately. Are there reasons given for the inflation that may not be a contributor but which may suit to explain away such inflation?...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I was getting an answer on the energy and other issues. I contend that the European Union has been largely negligent in dealing with the energy issue. It had all the time in recent years to make provision, and it should have been able to make provision, knowing what the prevailing opinion was regarding the origins of energy from the point of view of the countries in central Europe. Are we...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I am also concerned about food availability, food shortages and interjections in the food markets by various ways and means. There is going to be downward pressure in this country in respect of emissions, and I accept we must deal with that. Some of it can be dealt with indirectly and some of it can be dealt with directly by taking steps. However, we also have to be careful we do not end...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I am thinking about inflation in the past and how it affected the economy. The tendency in the past was to follow the inflation by offering supports of one kind or another. That did not finish up well in times past. What is the balance to be struck in that area? Are we capable of being discreet in what we do and prepared to be so? Alternatively, are we likely to go overboard?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Unfortunately, one of the slogans used to be "We will put more money in people's pockets". That was when governments were always going to address issues of a long-term or short-term nature. The worrying part was that when they got their hands in people's pockets, they had a habit of taking more out than they were putting in. We have to recognise that there may be, as the Taoiseach...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Before the Chairman concludes, I wish to bring to her attention the quality of the electronic system. It was appalling this evening. It continuously cut in and cut out. We could not hear each other or at least I could not hear from where I was. Could anything be done with it to make it more efficient?

Garda Síochána (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: This is important legislation and I commend the Minister of State on bringing it forward. It is only a short Bill. It is short in implications in terms of what it has to say to us now but it is very important in the way it ties it up. It reminds me of the phrase "and-or" and an issue the House has discussed in the past, that is, the meaning of "may" or "shall" in relation to what...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (14 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I hate to disagree with my more learned colleagues on this subject, but I know a little about it too. We need to be careful not to scare people away from the remedy to our issue, the emissions. The way to do it is by electric vehicles. Whether the car is large or small, it needs its space on the road. More importantly, at the present time we need to encourage car users and owners to move...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: 76. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way and the reason that the Dublin Airport Authority was able to qualify for the employment wage subsidy scheme while at the same time making employees redundant while also launching a recruitment campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30690/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I would be concerned about the way in which it was handled. It was quite possible to project forward what would be required in the future, knowing what had prevailed and knowing as well that there were considerably generous subventions from Government to ensure that positions of employment were retained and the service was able to continue in the face of serious trading challenges. What...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I appreciate that the body charged with running the airport is the ultimate authority. Unfortunately, it did not seem to plan for what was happening and what everybody knew what is happening. The effect of Covid was that certain payments were made that were to be made to many employers throughout the country. A generous subsidy was invoked. However, it would appear that the airport...