Results 6,661-6,680 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: "Revisionism" is a word that trips lightly off the lips of my colleague across the Chamber. When the troika came here to bail out the economy, it was a gentlemen by the name of Deputy Adams who stated that it should go home with all of its money. No matter what economic funny book Deputy Martin Ferris might be reading over there, if that had happened we could only have funded the economy by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Remit (21 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 151 together. The Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann. The Act provides that Irish Water is required to submit an annual report on the performance of its functions each year to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Minister for...

Bond Repayments: Motion [Private Members] (26 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move amendment No. 1:To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following: “recognises that: — decisions taken by the previous Government have unfortunately resulted in the inclusion of the promissory notes as a part of Government debt since they were issued in 2010; — this Government successfully reached a conclusion to its...

Bond Repayments: Motion [Private Members] (26 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, is unable to be here as he is attending the Select Sub-Committee on Finance. Ireland is on the right track. Since taking office, the Government has stabilised the banks, restored confidence in the economy, reduced unemployment and introduced fiscal reforms to improve the management of the public finances. It has made difficult decisions that it...

Bond Repayments: Motion [Private Members] (26 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: If this motion is passed, seeking to lobby the ECB for an exemption from monetary financing to allow the Central Bank to destroy €25 billion in sovereign bonds validly issued by the State and for the Government to unilaterally cease payments on the interest associated with that sovereign debt would be detrimental to the recovery of Ireland and its ability to obtain funding from...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Animal Welfare (26 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Senator Conway for bringing this matter to the attention of the Oireachtas and assure him that the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, will be made aware of his comments directly. The property in question is leased by the OPW from Dublin City Council. It was originally leased from the local authority in 1972 for use as a Garda station. Following the completion of the more modern...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Animal Welfare (26 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will bring the Senator's views to the direct attention of the Minister of State. If they have not already done so, it might be useful if the community groups, the support services or those who are interest and support Dogs Aid would so communicate.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospital Services (26 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Senator Daly for bringing this matter before the Seanad. I would assure him that I will bring it to the attention of the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. In answer to the Senators specific questions in relation to the number of paediatric tracheotomies and nursing care, I will put the following on the record of the Seanad. Information available...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospital Services (26 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is very important that the views of all Oireachtas Members - including those of Senator Daly - should be brought to the attention of the Minister. The Minister stands over the reply because it comes from him. Notwithstanding what the Senator stated, the most important aspect to note is that there will be a meeting with representatives from the advocacy group tomorrow. In other words,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: HSE Funding (26 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I take Senator Colm Burke for raising this important matter. There is a long history of non-statutory service providers providing health and personal social services in Ireland. While many of these organisations have access to financial resources through fund-raising, they rely substantially on the HSE to fund the services the provide. The HSE funds a range of service providers under...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: HSE Funding (26 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Senator Burke is seeking transparency in respect of the requirement to provide information and whether it is has been supplied. As I am not a Minister in the Department, I will ask the Minister to revert to him directly on this important issue.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Remit (27 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary under the Companies Acts within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group. The Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013 is currently in preparation, and will provide for the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of water services from the water services authorities to Irish Water. Irish Water will...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Funding (28 Nov 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of Bórd Gáis Éireann, to be formed and registered under the Companies Act. Further proposed comprehensive legislation will transfer statutory responsibility for water services to Irish Water and will provide for local authorities to act as agents for Irish Water, with this relationship...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Resources (4 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Resources (4 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am delighted that Deputy Boyd Barrett has raised this issue. I will happily confirm to him that the Connemara field was subjected to an extended well production test by Statoil between July and September 1997. The test involved regular stopping and restarting of the flow from the well, which was named block 26/28-A1Z, to test flow rates and reservoir pressure levels. Stable flow rates...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Resources (4 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Commercial finds.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Resources (4 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is exceptionally obvious that if the company had found commercial oil it would have developed it. That it handed the licence back to the State meant it did not believe there was potential at the time, notwithstanding the fact that some oil was found. We are trying to get more companies to go into such fields along our coast. We announced recently that we would open the Atlantic margin...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Resources (4 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Earlier this year, I examined drilling activities by Exxon-Mobil 165 kilometres off the west coast. The company spent $150 million on that drilling operation but found no active hydrocarbons. In other words, no commercial hydrocarbons were present there. Therefore, it is not a matter of giving it away, it is a question of companies taking a punt on where they think is the best place to go....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Energy Resources (4 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: In 2011, 13 licensing options were given. Some 12 of those are converting into frontier exploration licences, which is positive and constructive. We welcome the companies' commitments.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is rubbish.