Results 22,741-22,760 of 26,256 for speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: National Cultural Institutions (9 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 87. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if it is still Government policy that all members of boards of national cultural institutions would serve on a pro bono basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47043/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: National Cultural Institutions (9 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: This is like the start of the graveyard shift. The question simply seeks the Government to elucidate whether it and the Minister remain committed to the position as set out by her predecessor that members of the boards of the cultural institutions will serve on a pro bonobasis.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: National Cultural Institutions (9 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I thank the Minister for her response and I acknowledge that when she recently made a detailed presentation to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht we dealt with this issue, particularly as it relates to the Arts Council. I remain somewhat uncertain as to what is the position. In 2013, the then Minister, Deputy Deenihan, advertised vacancies with regard...

Order of Business (9 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Could I ask when we can expect the public health (alcohol) Bill to come to the House? Have the heads of the Bill been considered by Government? We were given to understand that substantial work had been done in the area which involved examining minimum pricing, sports sponsorship and labelling of alcoholic products. We believe substantial work was done when Deputy Róisín Shortall...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Ministerial Travel (9 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 103. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide in tabular form her travel schedule overseas since taking office; the expense associated with this travel including total staff travel and accommodation costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46808/14]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Bodies Board Remuneration (9 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 108. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide in tabular form any remuneration or expenses that have been paid to each member of the Arts Council board in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46805/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (9 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 338. To ask the Minister for Health if he will assist in the provisions of a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is blind and is receiving ongoing medical treatment for a number of illnesses; if he will expedite this application as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47148/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (9 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 433. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the number of Part V social and affordable units which are available on a county basis, but which have not been as yet acquired by the relevant local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47175/14]

Order of Business (4 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: On a point of order, the Tánaiste has not addressed the question raised by Deputy Niall Collins, which effectively was to ask whether we could have a vote, as we should have, if Second Stage concluded on Friday.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (4 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 111. To ask the Minister for Defence if the terms and conditions of commissioned officers of the Defence Forces are being reneged on in that special service officers, for example, bomb disposal and marine engineers, are being denied their promotion to commandant, contrary to industrial relations agreement, Defence Forces regulation and contract of employment; and if he will make a statement...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (4 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 112. To ask the Minister for Defence if the terms and conditions of commissioned officers of the Defence Forces are further being reneged on in that two potential officers, commissioned from the ranks, from the ninth potential officer course, are being forced to retire as captains at 54 years of age where their terms and conditions provide for the rank of commandant; and if he will make a...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I commend everybody who has been involved in the process of acquisition of this third vessel. It has been very well handled. I have a question on the issue of asbestos in the old ships. Has that matter been fully addressed?

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: May I ask two brief questions? In respect of Subhead A 13 - Buildings, has the Department of Defence examined the building stock in Dublin in light of the homeless problem in the city? Finally, the allocation of €860,000 to the Equitation School in Subhead A 20 is definitely money well spent. The Army Equitation School has been for decades phenomenal ambassadors for equitation, the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I do not doubt that is the Minister's understanding of it but the data available on this raises some fundamental questions.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: It seems extraordinary that we would need 30 plus general practices, and nobody is contradicting that figure, plus in excess of 20 full-time members of the Defence Forces to provide for the needs of 9,500 of the healthiest people in the country. That strikes me as extraordinary.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Will the Minister give an outline of how these particular pay and allowances savings have been achieved? Has the number of civilian employees reduced, for instance? Have contracts been cancelled and are members of the Defence Forces undertaking roles previously undertaken by civilian workers? Regarding the engagement of civilian medical practitioners, I read in the notes that the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Deputy Alan Farrell referred to the recent presentation we had from the Army and Naval Service reserve. The presentations were very impressive and compelling. They expressed very serious concern about the commitment of the Department of Defence to their continued operation. One has further cause to wonder about that when one sees here that the overall allocation is quite modest, and that...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: This brings members back to the discussion they had with the Minister during the last Question Time when they acknowledged the extent to which the Department of Defence and the members of the Permanent Defence Force have been exemplary in their delivery of change, on the modernisation and the way in which they have reacted to reform. To a certain extent, through the Estimates the Minister...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The saving in the subhead seems to very substantial - just short of €5 million. That is significant by any standard. Has the Department reduced the number of civilian employees-----

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Supplementary)
Vote 36 - Defence (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2014)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Yes. The subhead covers the payment of salaries and allowances for civil servants of the Department. As I understand it, the savings are of the order of €5 million. Are the savings due to a reduction in the number of civilians working in the Department or the transfer of duties previously undertaken by civilians to members of the Permanent Defence Force or have the savings been...