Results 11,721-11,740 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Seanad: Renewable Energy: Motion (12 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: Níor chuir mise isteach ar an Seanadóir ar chor ar bith.

Seanad: Renewable Energy: Motion (12 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: Tuigim sin, ach tá súil agam go mbeidh an Seanadóir sásta éisteacht liom. Tá Sinn Féin i gcoinne gach rud, i gcoinne fracking, oil and gas, leictreachas a sholáthar do dhaoine, poist a chruthú.

Seanad: Renewable Energy: Motion (12 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: Má chuireann muid an méid sin go léir ar an mbille atá Sinn Féin ag tabhairt do mhuintir na hÉireann, níl sin sásúil. Caithfidh Sinn Féin féachaint arís ar na tuairimí atá á nochtadh aige. Maidir le cúrsaí pleanála, níl eolas cruinn agam maidir leis an scéal a d'inis an Seanadóir faoin...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Sex Offenders Treatment Programme (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter. He apologises that he is unavoidably absent for this important issue. In the management of sex offenders, the focus of the work is multifaceted and involves both the assessment of the risk of re-offending and the monitoring of compliance with relevant court supervision orders. While in prison, a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Sex Offenders Treatment Programme (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: As I am not the line Minister, I will make sure that the Minister for Justice and Equality will respond directly to the Senator’s questions. The management of sex offenders is taken seriously and the Department undertook a wide-ranging review of the law in December 2013. On foot of this review, the Government recently approved the Minister’s proposals for the drafting of a new...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Sex Offenders Treatment Programme (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Environmental Protection Agency Expenditure (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: While the EPA is managing the study into the potential environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing under the STRIVE programme, the research programme is being co-funded by the EPA, my own Department and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. While the call for tenders for the appointment of the appropriate expertise to carry out the research programme has been completed, the appraisal of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Regulation (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: Fish counters are a component element of the assessment array in use by the independent Standing Scientific Committee for Salmon. In carrying out salmon stock assessments the Committee draws on a number of data sets including rod and commercial catch data, fish counters and catchment wide electro-fishing. Salmon stocks are assessed in the majority of rivers using salmon rod catch data. These...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Ireland (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: The establishment of IFI has facilitated more efficient and effective management of the inland fisheries resource along with an enhanced national perspective in the formulation of relevant policy which is more streamlined, coherent and integrated. Since its establishment IFI has developed innovative technologies and working methods to create cost efficiencies with no loss of operational...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fisheries Protection (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: As I indicated in reply to Question No. 19 [4297/14] of 30 January last, surplus elver recruits were not identified in scientific reviews as regards Ireland's Eel Management Plan (EMP) for the 2012-2015 period to facilitate a stocking programme. Because of this and for the other reasons set out in that reply, stocking is not included as a management action in Ireland’s Eel Management...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Environmental Inspections (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: Officials from my Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and Kilkenny County Council met recently with Galmoy Mines Ltd, representatives of the parent company Lundin Mining, and their expert hydrogeological and geotechnical support, to review initial investigations into the recent appearance of a sinkhole on farmland overlying part of the former underground workings of Galmoy mine....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Petroleum and Gas Exploration (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: Following a public procurement process, my Department has selected international oil and gas experts Wood Mackenzie to advise on the “fitness-for-purpose” of Ireland’s current oil and gas fiscal terms. In 2013 there was no commercial production of oil in the Irish offshore, however the total gross production from gas fields, namely the Kinsale, Ballycotton and Seven...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: I can to confirm that there are no drilling consents extant in respect of the Irish offshore. There are 27 petroleum exploration licences extant in respect of the Irish offshore and it is expected that the holders of at least one of these licences will submit a drilling consent application to my Department during the course of 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: The cost of drilling an offshore exploration well is determined by a number of factors including the market rate for drilling rigs, duration of the well programme, water depth and remoteness of location. Exploring offshore the west coast of Ireland is expensive relative to other petroleum producing areas due of its remoteness and deep water depths. For example, in the Atlantic Margin water...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences Numbers (11 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: The number of Mineral Prospecting Licences and Petroleum Exploration Licences granted in each year between 2004 and 2014 are set out in the table. Licences granted during period 2004 – 2014 (to 5 March 2014) Year Prospecting Licences (Minerals) Petroleum Exploration Licences 2004 26 3 2005 51 7 2006 84 4 2007 143 5 2008 91 5 2009 66 1 2010 93 0 2011 98 2 2012 102 0 2013...

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (Resumed) (6 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: This is a very important debate, one that transcends each Department because it is all about the collective performance of the Government and the collective changes made. This brings us to the most important issue, employment. The key issue raised by Deputy Finian McGrath was job creation. Where the Government is working most of all is in creating new employment. This week some 62,000...

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (Resumed) (6 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: He sold them the week before.

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (Resumed) (5 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: That sounds like a politician on the Opposition side.

Protection of Residential Mortgage Account Holders Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (4 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: I wish to share time with Deputies Maloney and Lawlor. I welcome the opportunity afforded by this Bill to explore the issues raised by the sale of loans books by regulated entities to entities that are not regulated. I consider this an opportune and timely intervention given the context of the upcoming sale of the IBRC loan book. I am fully aware of the concern among mortgage account...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Social Welfare Offices (4 Mar 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will tell him the Senator said that.