Results 68,201-68,220 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor (Revised) (9 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I do not mind.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor (Revised) (9 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: We can drag on after 12 o'clock.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor (Revised) (9 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: We will not have to run to catch up.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor (Revised) (9 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I will say just a couple of things in rounding up. The Taoiseach has dealt adequately dealt with all the issues in his opening statement, as did the members of the committee in their respectful statements, and I thank everyone for that. A couple of things need commenting on, especially the housing situation, to which you yourself referred, a Thaoisigh, as did the members. The important...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Office of the Chief State Solicitor (Revised) (9 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: No more information is required. Enough information has been dispensed already, the Taoiseach will be glad to know.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Message to Dáil (9 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: In accordance with Standing Order 101, the following message will be sent to the Dáil: The Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach has completed its consideration of the following Revised Estimates for public services for the year ending 31 December 2023: Vote 1 - President's Establishment, Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach, Vote 3 - Office of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Good Friday Agreement (21 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: 76. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he continues to promote the concept of power sharing and the continuation of working at and improving the peace process in Northern Ireland in a way that clearly demonstrates the economic and social benefits of a broadening and deepening of the principles of the Good Friday Agreement; and if he will make a statement on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Good Friday Agreement (21 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: As we approach the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, it is a good time to review the endeavours we have made in the past and to which we might go in the future in order to engage with the communities in Northern Ireland and to continue to grow the Good Friday Agreement in the best way possible in a non-aggressive and non-threatening to bring on board people who are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Good Friday Agreement (21 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Tánaiste for his detailed reply and for his commitment, both as Taoiseach and Tánaiste, to the concept of the pursuit of the best possible continued outcome of the Good Friday Agreement. However, an opportunity arises at this time to further the ambitions of the agreement in a meaningful way that reassures all the communities in Northern Ireland by way of continued...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Good Friday Agreement (21 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I again thank the Tánaiste for his detailed replies. So many years on, we tend to forget the difference the Good Friday Agreement made. Generally, that would be the case across the country. We need to reaffirm our views as to what it did. It brought about peace. We need to support that concept in a way we have never done before. We have this opportunity, which the Tánaiste has...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: The appalling and degrading treatment of women who are mothers and their children continues in the family law courts with such vigour and determination that one would be led to believe it is the intention that this can and will continue, which it cannot. It requires now a preliminary inquiry to determine the extent of the problem and the length of time it is expected to continue when it is...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (22 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Does the Chair not know I am always brief? I agree entirely with the sentiments expressed by Deputy Michael Healy-Rae. As public representatives, we have to deal with the situation on the ground all the time. That is reality. The banking system must be alert to and aware of the need to respond quickly to the people about whom Deputy Healy-Rae has spoken. The local authorities also need...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (22 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I will return to that. We must be awfully careful about what we do with the rainy day fund. People asked in recent years why we do not spend the rainy day fund because they thought it was raining at the time. It turns out it was not raining then. As we now know, the rapidity with which things can happen in the financial sector is so serious that we do not know what we might need in the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (22 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome our visitors. I agree in general with the sentiments Mr. Madouros has expressed. The emphasis has to be on stability. If the international financial system identifies a hint of instability in any country then things will fall rapidly and what is a healthy position today could become a very unhealthy position tomorrow. I am minded of the previous financial crisis when things...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (22 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Following what Deputy Healy-Rae had to say, there is one issue in this country that is causing a lot of anxiety to the younger half of the population. Remember we have an ageing population and a younger population. They are supposed to balance each other out in terms of the degree to which we rely on the younger population to fund the future and the liability of people of my age. The...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (22 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: It has been a very useful conversation. There is one aspect I wish to refer to that relates to the construction industry and the building of houses, given that the building of houses is absolutely necessary. The annual house building rates are way beyond anything we have achieved so far. Is it true that the construction sector, developers and builders, are relying on investment funds to...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (22 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I just wonder how the Central Bank can control, oversee and influence what is happening in that area if a combination of lenders are involved and given they may be affected in one way or another by actions or by developments in the industry outside the jurisdiction. This whole housing issue is a national emergency. We need to do something in a very great hurry. As Deputy Healy-Rae has...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (22 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Has anybody envisaged what might happen in the event of there being a really accelerated house building programme and the effect that might have, or is feared to have, on the value of houses already sold or available for sale, which are the new building schemes? For instance, if a builder or developer has a scheme of houses built and the national urgency is to provide more houses, that must...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (22 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I am going to go straight home after this. I am aware of quite a number of housing developments all over the region that are completed for the last six months and are ready for occupation. Why are they not being occupied?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (22 Mar 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I will finish with that one because I have a question down this week to ascertain where those developments are going and what we are waiting for, so we will see. I will know the answer tomorrow, please God. I thank the Chair for allowing me to interject so often and our visitors for their patient replies.