Results 10,521-10,540 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (3 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: 129. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on correspondence (details supplied) from the Cooley Peninsula community alert groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43232/15]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Care Professionals (3 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: 172. To ask the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the Irish Association of Physical Therapists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43233/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (3 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: 249. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a primary school which is due to lose a teacher in September 2016 due to changes in the pupil-teacher ratio leaving the school one pupil short, given that the loss of the teacher will result in an extra large class with a number of pupils needing learning support; if the school can appeal this decision, given an expected increase...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the changes made in this Bill. I listened carefully to what my colleagues opposite said. The fact remains that everybody should get the medical care they need at the point they need it, regardless of income and family circumstances. There is a progressive taxation system in this country where the more one earns, the more one pays. Nevertheless, as has been pointed out, a...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: If I stray on to the wrong subhead, I hope the Chairman will tell me. The Minister mentioned retiring gardaí. In view of the fact that the Garda can only recruit to the maximum capacity of Templemore, which is 600 per annum - I acknowledge the Minister's remark that it is impossible to predict how many gardaí may retire in any year - would she consider offering short extensions of...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: If that is not the right subhead-----

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am in your hands. If that question can be answered when we reach the relevant subhead, I will be happy.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: I accept that the flexibility is there, but could the Minister ask them to consider staying on? I am not familiar with the processes in the Garda Síochána. If they have certain skills and knowledge and corporate memory and we cannot get the gardaí we want, this could in a voluntary way extend the service of gardaí who might wish to stay on.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: Notwithstanding what the Minister says, my constituents would prefer a different answer.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: Can the Garda system exchange information with the Courts Service system? How integrated are these systems?

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: There has been significant investment in the Courts Service in the past couple of years. One of the problems is that when a member of An Garda Síochána goes to issue a summons, the person concerned is no longer at the address indicated. This happens quite often and it is a major waste of Garda time and resources. Is there an alternative? I think thousands of summonses have been...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister responded earlier and I understand the point she is making. In view of the exceptional need at this moment and the inability of the Garda to train more than 600 recruits at a time because of the physical limitation on the buildings at Templemore, would it not make sense, as an exceptional measure, to see if more people would continue to work? That is my point in a nutshell....

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: I acknowledge fully the Minister's absolute commitment to increasing the number of gardaí. Either we have to train more somewhere else, or we have to hold on to people for longer, if possible, as an exceptional measure.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: I know the Chairman will not allow my question, but I will ask it anyway.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will have an opportunity later. One of my biggest problems is that politicians are pressurised in terms of Garda numbers and resources. This is not a political comment. The reply to any question that one submits on these issues is that the allocation of gardaí is a matter for the Garda Síochána and not politicians. However, the Estimates are a matter for us. My...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: I understand.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: The extra bit in Louth is that 27 new gardaí have been provided as a result of the appalling murder of a garda in our constituency. I do not know if it is an additional cost. The people want the gardaí to be kept in the area, at whatever cost, if any.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: I accept that.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: I accept all that. I have no issue.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Fergus O'Dowd: I agree.