Results 13,181-13,200 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Governance and Funding of Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (16 Apr 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: If the Deputy is saying there is a marking scheme and that there are very low marks in that context-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Governance and Funding of Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (16 Apr 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is a fair point, that the assessment be based on a number of governance issues, including salaries and expenses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Governance and Funding of Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (16 Apr 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the delegates for attending. I also thank the Minister, his Department, the staff of Sport Ireland and all of our colleagues who have worked very hard. I am very impressed by the commitment of everybody to ensuring accountability. However, I have some worries. Who will manage the appointment of the CEO at this time of crisis? Who will sit on the board? Will the old or new board...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Intestate Estates (8 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: 241. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of residential properties that the State has inherited as the ultimate intestate successor in each of the years 2011 to 2018; the number of units sold off by year; and the number of units that are retained by the State, both in use and vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19609/19]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (8 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: 424. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a site location can be made available for the new south Drogheda post-primary school that was announced in 2018 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20156/19]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (8 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: 1502. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a reply will issue to queries by a person (details supplied) on an extension of a community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20019/19]

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Drugs Crime (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: The people of Drogheda are very proud of their town and of their record on hospitality and the fact that this year Drogheda will again host Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and hopefully have more than 600,000 people visit the town. We welcome in particular the additional gardaí provided to Drogheda by the Garda Commissioner. I also welcome the contribution of the Minister for Justice...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Drugs Crime (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the additional supports to which the Minister referred which are to be provided by the Garda Commissioner. A related issue is that of CCTV in the Moneymore area. When the Minister visited the locality, we pointed out to him the issues in that regard. The CCTV is not his responsibility, but this area has been worst affected by much of this crime, and the CCTV there is still not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Performance Indictor Report: National Oversight and Audit Commission (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the witnesses. Martina Maloney is a former manager and she is extremely helpful and proactive. She is one of the best and most dedicated public officials with whom I have had the pleasure of working. Her wealth of experience, that of the chairperson and the work they do are highly valuable. I am here to be fair to everybody and I acknowledge the expertise and the good work...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Performance Indictor Report: National Oversight and Audit Commission (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: When it is ready the key issue is to have a meeting at that time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Performance Indictor Report: National Oversight and Audit Commission (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: When it is ready we should meet straightaway and go through it because it will be hot, live, available in black and white and people will pay more attention to it. My other point is on how people generally interact with their local authority. I have always believed that if somebody has an issue, he or she should be able to discuss it privately with the local council. Some councils have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Performance Indictor Report: National Oversight and Audit Commission (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: While I accept and welcome this - and it is excellent and I praise it - in this case the authority is saying someone is a non-person who does not even have a name. It is stating it does not deal with the problem so the person should go somewhere else. I did not make this point earlier but the HSE is stating it is a matter for the local authority while the local authority is stating it is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Performance Indictor Report: National Oversight and Audit Commission (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: Audit the files and ask for them from the local authorities. Will NOAC ask for the files on those cases that have been refused? That is where the problem is. Those cases that are refused are what I am concerned about because they are exceptions. It is bureaucratic madness.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Performance Indictor Report: National Oversight and Audit Commission (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: My next question is for Ms Maloney as an administrator. Could a mechanism be put in place to refer these cases automatically? If a case is refused, there should be a referral to somebody who may have greater knowledge of the specific area.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Performance Indictor Report: National Oversight and Audit Commission (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: Notwithstanding this, and I accept that is what the role is, NOAC could review at customer level the type of letter that is sent, whether the person with the disability is always named, which is essential, and whether there is a referral. If the answer is "No", there should be further referral in the system to see whether all aspects of the case have been looked at and whether the conclusion...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Performance Indictor Report: National Oversight and Audit Commission (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: NOAC's board is probably appointed by the Minister. Does it have an advocate or a person representing people with disabilities? If not, it would be useful to have such a member of the board. That person would give a perspective that is essential to the functioning of local authorities.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Audit Service: Discussion (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I apologise in advance because I will have to leave to go to another meeting at 11.30 a.m. I welcome the auditors and their work, which is important. The auditors keep a proper, professional eye on the activities and functions of local government to make sure there is total transparency and accountability, books are kept properly and well and any issues that arise are brought to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Audit Service: Discussion (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I accept that totally.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Audit Service: Discussion (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: I accept that. It is entirely fine if they do not wish to comment. I advised them before the meeting that I intended to raise this issue. I want to know how the audit of a county council did not pick up this issue. People have to be deemed to have been treated fairly and properly. If somebody feels aggrieved, he or she has every right-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Audit Service: Discussion (9 May 2019)

Fergus O'Dowd: No, we are dealing with all of this.