Results 4,061-4,080 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: There is not enough time. I will bring in Senator Ó Donnghaile later but I must take representatives from Fianna Fáil now. The time allocated for our meeting has run down. Every party must be treated fairly and equally. If Fianna Fáil wants to make a contribution, followed by the SDLP and the Alliance Party, then Sinn Féin followed by Fine Gael, if we can fit them all in.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: I will take a contribution from the SDLP, followed by the Alliance Party. I am sorry about all this but time is limited.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: If the representative from the Alliance Party wishes to speak, he may.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: That takes us back to Senator Ó Donnghaile. Our guests have been very helpful.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: On that point, we have a list of our proposed work programme which we will give to the Senator.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: We have about ten minutes left for our guests to address some of those issues. I ask the members of the committee that if they have any further suggestions for speakers in the coming weeks, in addition to those they have already submitted, or other issues, they should let the clerk know and he will follow them up and make sure that invitations issue.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: As I understand it, broadband is ubiquitous in the North and every community has high-speed broadband.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: The situation is completely different in the South. Many people are unaware that every community in the North has high-speed broadband. It is a huge piece of infrastructure that gives a great advantage to small and big businesses.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: It is fibre to each cabinet.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: I do not want to have a row with Ms Gildernew on this point. In the South, we do not have fibre to every cabinet as is the case in Northern Ireland. In more report areas, obviously there is copper wire after that. Northern Ireland has a massive advantage in this regard and I would not gainsay it.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: Yes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: Hear, hear.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: One of the good things to come from the Good Friday Agreement was an investment in the rail and roads infrastructure, which has helped public transport. I thank our guests for their time, knowledge, insights and wisdom. Their papers very much deserve consideration and debate so, please God, we will meet again. The committee will spend the remaining five minutes in private session to...
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (3 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister of State has iterated the importance of the registration process and the importance of the independence of the board. I acknowledge that and everybody acknowledges that. On the request made to me to put this before the Houses, which I did yesterday and which has been taken today, I am fulfilling my commitment to speak in support of this motion. I welcome the fact that...
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (3 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: To clarify, I submitted this Topical Issue matter yesterday before last night's debate. It was not selected for last night's Topical Issue debate, but I wanted to make my views known clearly and emphatically. I know I represent the whole country, including every Deputy, regardless of political party, when I say that we greatly appreciate the almost 40,000 committed and dedicated nurses and...
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (3 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: Am I being interrupted?
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (3 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: No. I-----
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (3 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: Deputy Tóibín is right, in that I voted last night. He knows from his time as a party member that, when we are whipped to vote in a particular way, we have to do so or we can start up-----
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (3 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: I am speaking as a backbencher. I tabled this matter before last night's vote. I want to put on the record what I believe.
- Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (3 Dec 2020)
Fergus O'Dowd: The majority of Deputies, including most members of the Government to whom I have spoken, believe that this should be the case.