Results 9,561-9,580 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (17 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I hope the Acting Chairman will be pleasant, as he always is. My point is that there are builders who are committed to building and they face planning difficulties. It is right and proper in my view that the Government and the Department facilitates transparent success in planning permissions that may have been given some years ago but which may not yet have been taken up where builders are...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Government Reform (17 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the Minister's acknowledgement of the issues relating to Drogheda and its environs. The fact is that Drogheda was turned down by the independent commission but that commission was absolutely wrong. Drogheda had a borough council from 1169 until its abolition in recent times. We need to get that council back and to have local control. Local debates would previously have taken...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Government Reform (17 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the Minister. This is a hugely important issue in my town, the area around Drogheda and the whole county. The latest census of population shows that Drogheda is now the biggest town in the country outside the major cities. The difference in population between Waterford city and Drogheda is less than 7,000, yet we have no proper local council and no local control, although there...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (17 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 151. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will introduce legislation to provide city status to Drogheda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23500/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (17 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 220. To ask the Minister for Health if he will reply to correspondence (details supplied) in regard to nurses with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland status who were refused critical skills work permits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23479/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (17 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 228. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the medical assessment unit in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital was recently closed; the number of such closures in 2016 and to date in 2017; if there will be no further closures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23505/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Respite Care Services Provision (17 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 229. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 619 to 621, inclusive, of 11 April 2017, the position regarding the need for respite services for persons with disabilities in each local health area for each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23506/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Respite Care Services Provision (17 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 230. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 619 to 621, inclusive, of 11 April 2017, the position regarding the fact that there are no dedicated respite services for children in County Louth; the steps he will take to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23507/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Respite Care Services Provision (17 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 231. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 619 to 621, inclusive, of 11 April 2017, the funding provided in each of the years 2008 to 2016 and to date in 2017 for respite beds for persons with disabilities; the way in which the funding was distributed, by location and organisation; the number and type of services provided at each location; and if he will make...

Joint Standing Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands: Plean Infheistíochta agus Scéimeanna Teanga (Atógáil): An tAire Stáit ag an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta (16 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: Fáiltím roimh an Aire. Molaim an obair atá déanta aige agus ag an Roinn chun an Ghaolainn a chothú agus an Ghaeltacht ach go háirithe a chur chun cinn. Molaim freisin an turas a chur sé ar fáil dúinn go dtí na hOileáin Árann. Bhí sé an-spéisiúil domsa mar nach raibh mé ann le tamall fada, níos mó...

Joint Standing Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands: Plean Infheistíochta agus Scéimeanna Teanga (Atógáil): An tAire Stáit ag an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta (16 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: Cén fáth go bhfuil eitleáin folamh? Tá líon daoine ann go dteastaíonn eitleáin uathu agus ní féidir na heitleáin a sholáthar dóibh.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (16 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 191. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a decision has been made to acquire a site for a school (details supplied) in County Louth. [23139/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services Provision (16 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 452. To ask the Minister for Health if he will respond to an invitation to meet a group further to a request by a person (details supplied). [23145/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology Funding (11 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: 84. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of funding proposals made by the Dundalk Institute of Technology to his Department. [22402/17]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing in Ireland - Census 2016 Results: Central Statistics Office (10 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the representative from CSO and I note the extent to which the organisation's integrity and professionalism is without challenge. I welcome the data presented. I wish to deal with the issue of empty homes. The figure for the Dublin city local authorities is 34,000 to 35,000. There are more vacant houses in Dublin than there are in the city of London, which has 20,000 vacant homes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing in Ireland - Census 2016 Results: Central Statistics Office (10 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: He just walks around saying they are all full.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing in Ireland - Census 2016 Results: Central Statistics Office (10 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: Would Ms Cullen like to make a comment on the data?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing in Ireland - Census 2016 Results: Central Statistics Office (10 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: They are official data.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing in Ireland - Census 2016 Results: Central Statistics Office (10 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: The difference is significant. I think one of the differences with the data for England is that one might have to pay additional council tax if one's house is unoccupied for six months or more. I do not actually know. Could the CSO do a study on it? Could it direct us to an analysis so we might try to understand why there is such a huge difference?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing in Ireland - Census 2016 Results: Central Statistics Office (10 May 2017)

Fergus O'Dowd: I would like to try to understand it.