Results 9,121-9,140 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: European Transport Sector: Discussion with European Commissioner (19 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am worried about the Commissioner's timetable, but I am happy to proceed as she wishes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: European Transport Sector: Discussion with European Commissioner (19 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: Before asking Ms Bulc to respond to Deputy Imelda Munster's query, does Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh wish to ask a quick question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: European Transport Sector: Discussion with European Commissioner (19 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: In fairness, we have managed to find time for the Senator.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: European Transport Sector: Discussion with European Commissioner (19 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: Will Deputy Imelda Munster reiterate her query?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: European Transport Sector: Discussion with European Commissioner (19 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Commissioner and her delegation for their constructive and positive engagement with the committee. We thank her for attending the meeting and her responses to members' queries. I understand several members hope to put additional questions to the Commissioner after the meeting.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (19 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the proposed special school for County Louth that will merge schools (details supplied); the details of the announced preferred site on the Cement Road, Drogheda; the date upon which the site was chosen; the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44515/17]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (19 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 280. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if funding will be made available through the LIHAF from budget 2018 to progress the port access northern cross route project in Drogheda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44526/17]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 281. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the proposed housing developments in the Drogheda and environs area that his Department is in active discussions on; the number of social houses the developments hope to deliver; the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44527/17]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the Minister and his officials here today. I am afraid I cannot be as glowing in my comments as my colleague, Senator Boyhan. It is a very fine production with nice photographs. However, from my point of view and specifically in the context of Drogheda, my political enemies had smiles on their faces when they read this document and indeed, they have attacked it in the press....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I want to come back to the question that I asked about Drogheda. Two towns are designated in this plan, which are Newry and Dundalk, one of which is in the northern administration. Dundalk is in my county, and I have no issue with that. However, Drogheda, which is bigger than Dundalk, is not mentioned in that context. This Oireachtas committee could recommend that this plan would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: My point is that it is mentioning smaller towns. I do not want to get into a fundamental disagreement. I want to get Drogheda included on page 103. How can I do that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is on the Belfast-Dublin economic corridor. Is it possible to do that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: How does one change this plan? The Minister has said that it is open for submissions until 3 November, and I accept that. Whether the submissions are from this committee, from any of the bodies who comment or from individuals, can the plan be changed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is the point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I wish to comment on the point made about a bottom-up approach. I accept and acknowledge that we have a plan that will reform local government administrations. I do not personally agree that the district councils are working well. In Drogheda they do not work at all because we do not have a town mayor or town council. We do not have officials who are responsible for decisions in the town...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: Drogheda is larger and is the one I am interested in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister can look after Navan and I will look after Drogheda.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is a key part of implementing this plan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is mentioned.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I wish to make the point again to the Minister of State. Drogheda is a town of 41,000 people but there is no council or mayor for the town. There is no administrative structure, no county manager and no decision making locally. That is wrong. There might be the same situation in Navan, but I will not accept it. My constituents are saying that we cannot allow that to continue.