Results 6,821-6,840 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Whatever the Senator wants to call it.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: These arguments count for zilch, nothing. Fianna Fáil got us into this mess and we are cleaning it up.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The public had the decision to make and will make another fairly soon. To return to Sinn Féin's argument, in Northern Ireland there is a tax which includes water-----

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I did not interrupt the Senator.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Senator is being very rude.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I did not interrupt the Senator; I have treated him with respect. Hard as it might be, I ask him to listen to me. There are two facets to the household charge or its equivalent in the North: the regional charge and the national charge. Belfast City Council fixes the regional charge and the record shows that last year every one of the Sinn Féin's people in Belfast voted to increase it...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: This side of the House refutes the figures, as does the Senator. There is clarity on the issue provided by me and Senator Maurice Cummins. Let us not play games. This is the real business of improving water infrastructure, creating jobs and providing for transparency in the process. Let us go to the core of the issues raised. Government policy is clear that every household will have a...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Multiply that figure by 12. That is the combined charge paid in the heart of London. This is not something new coming out of the air to be imposed on mother Ireland. We must do this and the system must be seen to be fair, transparent and accountable. All the marks of transparency and accountability can be seen. That is why I am happy to reaffirm that there will be capacity to take on...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: There was no scope.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: On a point of order it was the Cathaoirleach and not me who ruled the amendment out of order. Let us be clear about this. I am happy to debate anything here.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Perhaps the Senator's research was based on the Library and Research Service.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Leader Programmes Expenditure (11 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Gabhaim leithscéil faoi nach bhfuil an freagra scríofa as Gaeilge, ach déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall aistriúchán a dhéanamh ar na focail nach bhfuil ró-dhian orm. In line with the 'bottom-up' approach to rural development it is a matter for each comhlacht forbartha áitiúil na projects ar a gcaithfidh siad airgead a roghnú. In May 2013...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Leader Programmes Expenditure (11 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Geallaim don Seanadóir go gcuirfidh mé na tuairimí atá nochtaithe aige agus an méid adúirt sé faoi bhráid an Aire láithreach. Más rud é gur mhaith leis an Seanadóir ainmneacha na gcomhlachtaí forbartha i gceist a thabhairt dom, cuirfidh mé isteach ceist phráinneach chuig an Aire chun freagra a fháil dó.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors Recruitment (11 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Senator Burke for raising this important matter. Non-consultant hospital doctors, NCHDs, play a fundamental role in the provision of services in our hospitals. The Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, is committed to improving their working conditions and to ensuring they can have suitable career pathways and job security within the Irish health system. Approximately 80% of the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors Recruitment (11 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I assure Senator Burke that I will bring his views and concerns to the attention of the Minister immediately. Perhaps I did not make clear that the interim report will be published shortly. The Minister is very pleased with the findings, which include a number of practical recommendations that can be progressed quite quickly. I hope some progress will be made.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Departmental Correspondence (11 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Senator Conway for bringing this matter to the attention of the House and the Minister for Social Protection, who fully acknowledges the impact the receipt of such correspondence can have on the deceased person's relatives, and apologises unreservedly for any distress that this has caused. These situations, although rare, are deeply regrettable and at all times the Department of...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Departmental Correspondence (11 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Senator for raising the issue. I appreciate everything he said and I will bring his comments directly to the attention of the Minister. I apologise once again on behalf of the Minister and the Department for what happened. We will ensure that every effort will be made so that it never happens again.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Ceapaim go raibh an Seanadóir ag caint.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The last evening we were here, we discussed two of these amendments and I understood they had been dealt with and that amendment No. 40 was next. Notwithstanding that, the picture painted here by some of the Senators on the other side of the House is wrong and misleading and does not stand up to scrutiny. If we accepted the point of view of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, we would...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: On a point of order, that is not true. I replied to you.