Results 1,321-1,340 of 2,965 for speaker:Robert Dowds

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: Have Mr. McDonagh and NAMA had conversations with other councils? I am particularly interested in South Dublin County Council, where I believe NAMA controls quite a lot of open land. There is an SDZ in existence for the Clonburris area between Lucan and Clondalkin, and I think NAMA controls most of that land.

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: From what I can gather, I think NAMA controls the majority of the land there. Does Mr. McDonagh foresee any possibility of going into conversation with that council?

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: How long does Mr. McDonagh think it will take before there are any developments in that Clonburris area? Will that be dependent on some further infrastructure going in, such as the interconnector rail link that will bring people from the west of Dublin towards the city centre?

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: Am I right in thinking that NAMA recently took over The Mill Shopping Centre in Clondalkin? I think it was a Liam Carroll property before that.

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: I wonder if any of Mr. McDonagh's team can answer. Can I ask the witnesses to write to me about that?

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: There is a tranche of 274 acres of land in Lucan which is up for auction today. It is a very sensitive area of land. If it sells today, that is the end of it, but if it does not, could I suggest that NAMA officials might have a conversation with the local county council to see if there is any other way of dealing that issue? It is a particularly sensitive area, partly because some of it is...

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: So it is not through NAMA.

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: My apologies.

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: So NAMA does have an involvement.

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: I would like to move on to the area of social housing. Mr. McDonagh referred to the issue in his opening remarks. How many of the sites are in places that are likely to be of value in terms of providing social housing?

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: Some 10,000 of those properties are rented.

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: What is the position on the other 4,000?

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: Does it all depend on the local authority or the Department being able to put up the money?

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: Which there is.

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: What are the options for the 10,000 currently rented? Is there the same option for the Government if it is affordable?

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: Does the Department have first refusal?

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: I have a question about the position on hotels. How many hotels are held by NAMA? What proportion of the total number of hotels is held by NAMA? What impact is this having on the hotel industry? Hotels held by NAMA have been undercutting commercially viable hotels.

Public Accounts Committee: Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012: Discussion with National Asset Management Agency (26 Sep 2013)

Robert Dowds: Has the improvement in the tourism sector resulted in the sale of some of these hotels?

Topical Issue Debate: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Oct 2013)

Robert Dowds: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for choosing this topic for discussion. I also thank the Minister for Education and Skills for his reforming work in his Department. It is agreed by everyone that gas and electrical installations must be installed by a qualified technician because the safety and lives of people depend on such work being done properly. The same does not pertain in the motor...

Topical Issue Debate: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Oct 2013)

Robert Dowds: I thank the Minister for his reply. I ask him to indicate whether a professional register which is fully recognised nationally will be provided. I also ask if moves are afoot - if not, I encourage him to do so - to ensure qualifications acquired in Ireland in this area will be recognised in Britain, France and Germany and, similarly, that qualifications earned in these countries are...