Results 9,001-9,020 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Severe Weather Events Response (14 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 529. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the way in which his Department responded to the declaration of the status red alert weather warning in relation to its own employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47925/17]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I was very moved by the witnesses who came here today and the fact that they are in every respect innocent of being involved in any of the criminal matters which impinged on them in terms of the injury and deaths to their families. It is very disturbing in many respects. If we could put ourselves in the witnesses' and their families' position, and how they feel, I agree with them in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I was a member of a local authority for over 30 years. The legislation which barred Deputies also being a member of a local authority was, I believe, bad legislation. As a result of that legislation the link between what happens locally and nationally was broken. This is supported by today's discussion in terms of the lack of funding available to local authorities. If one is not a member...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have been here for an hour and a half and I would like the time to make my points.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have a lot to say. I have a lot of experience in this area. I would like to make my point, which might wake up people outside. We need to challenge local government in a public forum. This could be done via a public meeting on the National Oversight and Advisory Commission's annual report. We must praise the best but we must also show up the councils that are not doing their job. If...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I apologise, as I missed the witnesses' addresses. I will pick them up on a point. Someone stated that €5 billion was the expenditure per annum across local authorities. That is a great deal of money. I support Senator Boyhan's assertion that local authorities and their auditors should appear before the Committee of Public Accounts. Is a chief auditor's report published...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: The problem in this case is that we do not know when the audit will be finished. I am not a representative for the county in question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: There was a court case and we made the complaint after the conviction of the people concerned. I do not say the auditor did not know about it but what Ms Larkin is saying is that, by law, the council would have had to inform the auditor and we should be able to get that correspondence.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: It must because there was a fraud on which there was a court conviction.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: It would be covered in that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes, but what I am getting at is whether the council told the audit service. It is obliged by law to tell the audit service if there was a case of fraud involving a local authority process where a person lost a huge amount of business and there was a conviction.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: If I want to find that letter, is it available to me?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am sorry about this but I wish to follow it up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I just want to make the point in public. I appreciate what you say, Chairman, and I will not take much more time on this. It is a very serious charge. There was a serious court case and a serious conviction. These issues are still arising and the person is deeply concerned about them. We brought these to the attention of the auditor but we do not know what is happening. The witness is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I accept what Ms Larkin said.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: How do we know whether it was brought to the attention of the audit service?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: All right. This person is coming to see me again tomorrow about this.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cannabis for Medicinal Use (9 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 187. To ask the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) can access a programme. [47495/17]

Heritage Bill 2016 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: Admhaím go bhfuil mé tar éis éisteacht le hóráid bhreá ón gComhaontas Glas ach ní dóigh liom go bhfuil an ceart ag an Teachta nuair a deireann sí go bhfuil an Bille seo ag loite na hoidhreachta breátha atá againn sa tír seo. Ní aontaím le bunphrionsabal a hóráid - go bhfuil nithe á scriosadh againn...

Joint Standing Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands: Scéim Ghinearálta Bhille na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú) 2017 (7 Nov 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: Molaim an méid atá ráite agus an obair atá déanta go dtí seo. Is dócha go bhfuilimid go léir ar comhaigne gur rud maith é an Bille seo. Tá cúpla rud le rá agam. Ba chóir go mbeadh an Béarla agus an Ghaeilge comhionann lena chéile ar chomharthaí bóithre ach, nuair a bhíonn duine ag féachaint...