Results 61-80 of 4,372 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd in 'Dáil debates'

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Oct 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes, it can.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Oct 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Sure.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (4 Oct 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Aperee nursing home group has more than 500 residents in ten homes around the country. There is a serious crisis in the management of finances of residents in these homes. The HSE and HIQA are acting on that. It appears money is being taken from residents and being demanded by entities outside the structure of the home, or companies outside of the home, which are getting their hands on...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Schemes (3 Oct 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: The applicants fall into three different categories. The first is priority one, where the applicant is terminally ill, needs a full-time family carer or where adaptation of facilities will allow discharge from hospital. Most of the applications I deal with are priority two, where people are mobile but need assistance in accessing washing and toilet facilities and bedrooms, and where,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Schemes (3 Oct 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: We have an opportunity in this budget to put this right and I hope the Minister of State does.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Schemes (3 Oct 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Well, where is it?

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Schemes (3 Oct 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: This is not a successful scheme in Westport, where there is a lady who, according to the ALONE survey, is confined to the top floor of her house while awaiting a grant. It is not a successful scheme in Galway, where older people are waiting for money approved in 2022. A woman who is a high-priority case is housebound because she cannot leave her third-floor apartment without works first...

School Transport 2023-2024: Statements (3 Oct 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: The number of contributors to the debate, from a number of different constituencies, shows the importance of this issue. The demand for school transport is rising because our population is growing. There are new housing developments in every county that are not on any public transport route, which creates problems. It is important when planning permission is being given to ensure there is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Drogheda's traffic is grinding to a halt every day. Indeed, the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, who lives locally will know that development north and south of the river is resulting in huge volumes of cars going into our town. It is being compounded by the closure of the Obelisk Bridge for essential repairs. It is a dangerous bridge which carried local traffic north and south of the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: This affects school children, business people and anyone travelling north and south. It is really bad.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: He will fill the Tánaiste in.

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023: Second Stage (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Like others, I very much welcome the Bill. It is appropriate and timely, however, that I address issues of which Ministers are aware, particularly in the Department of the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, but on which they have not acted. The most obvious injustice and inequality is that full-time residents of mobile homes are locked out from the excellent €600 to €800...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Benefit-in-kind is a non-cash benefit given to an employee by an employer. It has a monetary value and is deemed to be a taxable income. There are approximately 150,000 company cars in the country and if those drivers have a benefit-in-kind, the vast majority pay the amount due themselves. In the case of the CEO of Bord na Móna, because the original market value of his car is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: One issue is the compatibility of the two institutions and the range of subjects that they might offer, as well as the challenges involved. If I remember my history right, Maynooth has very good scientific and academic powers and abilities. It would be an interesting mix, and we could have an entirely new type of course in DkIT as well that would be different from what it would...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Student unions tell me this all the time. We are going to standardise the design. You can build whatever student accommodation you want, but if we are investing in it, it will have to fit into one, two or three types of design. Students are inputting into that process, and we will have the output of that early next year. Once we invest, we have a right to have conversations about...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: 80. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the progress made to date on Dundalk Institute of Technology becoming a technological university under the Technological Universities Act 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40334/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister has been doing a lot of extra work in County Louth. I very much appreciate it in all capacities. I ask the Minister to outline the progress made to date on Dundalk Institute of Technology, DkIT, becoming a technological university under the Technological Universities Act 2018 and if he will make a statement on the matter. It is hugely important. It has not happened up to now,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Minister for his reply. I will say that it is time that progress was made. I agree with him that we must give a practical period of time to the new president to get the work under way. It is really important that he is given the space to do that, with the knowledge and expectation that the Department will be ready to step in as and when required and to keep a watching brief and...

Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Second Stage (20 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the Bill and the Minister of State's contribution. It is an opportunity for fundamental and real change in local government not just in Limerick. If it is effective and works very well, it could transform communities around the country. The golden opportunity is for the mayoral programme. When a person stands for election, and I presume there will be lots of different...