Results 10,821-10,840 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 371. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which her Department continues to monitor urban and rural community activity with a view to addressing issues arising from Covid-19, Brexit or other reasons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61047/21]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 374. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she expects to be able to assist those suffering from social isolation in urban or rural settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61050/21]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 383. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the degree to which she expects her Department to be in a position to offer specific help to urban and rural communities which may have been particularly affected by Covid-19-related issues; if she expects to be in a position to examine circumstances applicable in urban and rural settings by which existing or new schemes may be of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 373. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development her proposals for the funding of projects nationwide through the LEADER programme in the forthcoming year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61049/21]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 377. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of community development initiatives funded by her Department in County Kildare in the past 12 months; her expectations in this regard in the forthcoming year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61053/21]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 380. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she expects to be in a position to offer grant assistance to appropriately qualified groups throughout County Kildare in 2019 with particular reference to the community and voluntary sectors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61056/21]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 378. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the full extent of awards made by her Department under the town and village renewal scheme throughout Ireland; her expectations in respect of this or similar schemes in the next year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61054/21]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 379. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the full extent of awards made by her Department under the town and village renewal scheme in County Kildare; her expectations in respect of this or similar schemes in the next year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61055/21]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 381. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development her proposals for the development of a national volunteering strategy and for the drawing up of a national social enterprise policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61057/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: In terms of how we address those situations and bring the matter under the remit of the Ombudsman, can the committee assist in doing that? If so, in what way?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I am delighted to hear the sentiments of the Ombudsman in that area and we look forward to progressing this in the desirable direction. In recent years, there has been an increase in the numbers of people sleeping rough on the streets, which is a terrible blight on our society and a reflection of the way we deal with people in difficulty. It is not a reflection on any individual or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: We need more people to take up the positions available in our economy at the current time. Our economy has grown remarkably over the past 50 years. We are probably the only country in Europe to have achieved such an increase in population and economic development. That creates new openings. It also creates a better way for Irish people to consider the global situation. We live in a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I have one last question. The Chairman awakened some memories that I forgot to whinge about first time around. I could write books about the number of cases where refugees have been put on the long finger and tagged along with bits of information here and there. I have a particular gripe about one issue and that is GDPR insofar as it applies to directly elected Members of Parliament. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome the new Ombudsman and wish him well in the time ahead. I have no doubt he will give the role his best. He mentioned direct and indirect discrimination and the housing given to refugees the day they arrived in the country. There was an attempt to settle a number of families on a semi long-term basis. There were objections to that on the basis that, presumably, they were not...

Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I echo the points made by other speakers. We have to come to a decision that applies right across the country. People should be treated equally and the consistency that has been referred to should apply. It applies in town and country, as the Ceann Comhairle and I well know because we have had those debates in the past. There was a case once upon a time where there was a massive debate...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 85. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an invalidity pension application in the case of a person (details supplied); when a decision will issue in relation to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60580/21]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (8 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 130. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she and her Department are kept informed of operational concerns within An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60867/21]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (8 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 131. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when and the frequency with which she meets with the Garda Commissioner to discuss matters of national interest such as current or future matters of interest or concern; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60868/21]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (8 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 132. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if funding of her Department is sufficient for the years 2021 to 2022 to meet all operational activities with particular reference to the deployment of gardaí to areas experiencing high levels of criminal activity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60870/21]

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (8 Dec 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I apologise in advance, as I have another meeting at the same time as this one. I will attend the other meeting first and come back to this one, if that is okay.