Results 7,421-7,440 of 8,073 for speaker:Peter Burke

Other Questions: Arts Funding (7 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: After the success of streams 1 and 2 of the arts and culture capital scheme, I would be grateful if the Minister would outline when she intends to open stream 3 of this funding. It is very important to look at the smaller areas that we can fund under arts and culture, especially in rural areas.

Other Questions: CLÁR Programme (7 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: 29. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the 2017 CLÁR programme will open for applications; her views on the benefits this scheme can bring to rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11418/17]

Other Questions: CLÁR Programme (7 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: On 6 October 2016, The Minister of State, Deputy Ring announced the opening of the CLÁR programme. It had been closed for business since 2009. We are all aware that he also presided over the sports capital programme. He re-opened it in 2012, as that programme also then was closed for business. Rural areas have had a huge benefit from this funding and CLÁR has been especially...

Other Questions: CLÁR Programme (7 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: I welcome the additional €5 million for 2017. The critical aspect of this funding is that it makes rural Ireland an attractive place to live. It provides key infrastructure into areas where there has been a deficit. In my constituency, County Westmeath received an allocation of €214,000 last year while County Longford received €237,000 for key infrastructure projects....

Other Questions: CLÁR Programme (7 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: We have had a huge amount of schemes such as the sports capital programme, the town and village renewal scheme, the REDZ programme and the rural recreation scheme that have been targeted at rural Ireland. This is very welcome and we need to continue with this progress to ensure that we are delivering for these areas. It is amazing to go through small villages such as Multyfarnham, Moate,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Turf Cutting (7 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: 250. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when legislation governing peat extraction is due before the Houses of the Oireachtas to provide clarity for the EPA to monitor same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11923/17]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (7 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: 277. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of persons here that avail of group water schemes; if there is a breakdown by county of these numbers; the number of families that have private wells by county; the amount by which these costs are subsidised in comparison to Irish Water customers; the amount these private supplies cost; and if he will...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (7 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: 485. To ask the Minister for Health if he will order a review of the decision made by the NCPE not to fund a licensed drug which targets a genetic disorder (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11290/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services Provision (7 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: 487. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to extend free general practitioner care, especially to children over six years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11296/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Bord na gCon (7 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: 669. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the financial arrangement with a State agency (details supplied) in the interests of transparency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11196/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Retirement Scheme (7 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: 672. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to reintroduce the farm retirement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11301/17]

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: I want to ask about a report in The Irish Timeson 11 January 2011 on a loan Dublin City Council advanced to a State company, Ballymun Regeneration Limited, of €6.6 million. Can the Department spell out whether it is aware of that and the circumstances surrounding it?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: I want to be very careful and talk in principle. I do not want to mention any company or legal issue. In principle, is it good practice to loan a company €6.6 million without any recourse to the directors of the company? In other words, if one has a company or a vehicle to which the Department or a local authority decides to loan money on an interest-free basis, what happens if that...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: Is this loan repayable?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: Does Mr. McCarthy deem it good practice that a local authority would advance a loan to a private company without any guarantee either from directors or from any other personal guarantee to get its money back?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: I will try to move away from the legal issues and the case about which Mr. McCarthy is talking, and focus on the principle that was pursued here. We need to be very careful when spending taxpayers' money. Allowing any local authority to enter into agreements and advance interest free loans of the magnitude that is suggested in this report in The Irish Timesto any company without any...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: While I am not talking about this case, if someone is into sharp practice in business and a company is wound up, and if any individual, not a Department, advances money to a company structure without any security of guarantees and that company is liquidated and goes out of business, that is it: the money is gone. Does Mr. McCarthy accept that?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: I understand what Mr. McCarthy is saying, but I would be very concerned that this would be a route that in the modern day environment a Department would go down. I think it is very serious. In addition there is an issue relating to tendering. That is also raised in this article which is now public. No tender process was entered into for this expenditure. That would concern me. Does it...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: I am very surprised that on foot of a risk assessment we would decide to lend money to a structure that has no security and in addition it did not go out to tender for the money. That is a very poor move by the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (2 Mar 2017)

Peter Burke: 229. To ask the Minister for Health further to his visit to a hostel (details supplied) when a house medical card will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11075/17]