Results 5,601-5,620 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Courts Bill 2023: Second Stage (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Stranger things have happened. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Courts Bill 2023: Second Stage (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I fully understand and appreciate the necessity of increasing the number of judges at the present time. The population is growing, the demands are growing, more and more cases are being referred to the courts and more and more cases have to be referred again and again to the courts. There are also a number of cases over which I would disagree with my learned colleague, where there are...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Would anybody else like to come in? No. I thank Mr. Macey for coming before the committee and for giving us his excellent advice. We must make it attractive for children to pursue a policy of healthy foods. It is easy to go the other way but we need to make it attractive for them to see what they can achieve by eating carefully and by combining food groups carefully. The question of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: 93. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when a renewed residence permit card will be issued to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18568/23]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: 94. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in the determination of an application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18575/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: 175. To ask the Minister for Health the progress to date in issuing all remaining pandemic recognition payments, with particular reference to cases that were upheld on appeal and eligible for payment; if a timeline for payment can be indicated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18571/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: 180. To ask the Minister for Health if a GP can be assigned to an infant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18610/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Would it be fair to say that Tony Holohan did a great service to the country on a 24-7 basis during the entire period of the pandemic? Was that part of the consideration? Was it intended to in some way recognise that contribution? Was it anticipated that he might decide to move on after such a period of concentrated service and that it might be advisable to try to retain him and his...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: In view of that, would it have been assumed that there might be some challenges to the possibility of him being transferred to another branch of the services in the way that it occurred or was intended?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I did not quite get that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: You did not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Why did you not expect the response? It is a very important position for a very important individual who had done this State a great deal of service. In those circumstances, would not have been useful to walk very carefully and make sure that every possible “t” was crossed and “i” was dotted?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: A negative response.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: When did you become aware of the level of negativity associated with it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: There surely must have been some movement in the tall grass, for want of a better description, before it became a public issue in a negative fashion. There must have been some indication to somebody involved that this would cause a problem, there were going to be questions asked about it and they were not going to be helpful. In view of the facts that Tony Holohan had given such a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: You mentioned earlier that this happened all the time in public service, in the Government Departments and so on. Does it still happen?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Is that a good thing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Now hold on a second. I am trying to get my head around this now. I know that the intricacies or the workings of Departments are vague and above the reach of the ordinary individual. However, if you learn nothing from it from in terms of procedures to be followed in the future, if you say, on the one hand, that this still continues-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Given, again, the importance of the appointment and the need to improve research and the sciences within the system for the benefit of the State and in view of the fact there was a negative reaction, how many contenders were there for the position? I am not asking for their names; I am asking for the number.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Secretary General of the Department of Health (19 Apr 2023)

Bernard Durkan: That was not my question at all. My question was whether there were many known contemporaries or otherwise potential competitors for that particular position in the event that it came up or, rather, whether somebody decided to sabotage that before it happened and that way, they could determine what the outcome would be. I put it bluntly now to you.