Results 12,101-12,120 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I understand the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, is dealing with the official list of unfinished estates that can be remediated, in other words, taken in charge. This list is compiled and verified by local authorities before being submitted to the Department and published. People living in the estates on the list did not have to pay the household...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: If I do not answer anybody to his or her satisfaction-----

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I was not involved in that decision. I was not aware of it. If I had been-----

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: -----I would have ruled them out as well.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: A number of issues were raised. If a person is working with a local authority, the only way he or she can be transferred to Uisce Éireann or Irish Water is if he or she goes there. He or she will not become redundant to go there. The person will transfer in and the question of redundancy will not arise. There are no plans for any redundancies of local authority staff. Either they...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: It does not. If the roads and the lighting are not up to scratch and if it is not finished, then the public could not take over such a liability. If there are issues, however, I presume they would have to be resolved. In other words, if there is an estate that has inferior, insufficient or inadequate water infrastructure, that is a problem for that estate to resolve. I am aware that there...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: It seems that-----

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is a standard provision. I presume that it is a standard provision enabling all expenditure by the Minister and-or his Department regarding the Act. I presume that the provision refers to the costs incurred and that they are legally and properly covered by the section. Is that okay?

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I presume any of the Minister's expenses in the Act are covered by the section. In other words, it is proper and legal that he or she can do so.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Sure.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: If it is helpful, the points made by the Senator are subject to the implementation of the Act. In other words, things that happen as a result of the implementation of the Act are different costs to the costs covered in the section, which are purely the administrative costs of the Act. The Senator has raised a very important question. Let us compare what happened with the HSE and the health...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: This amendment is a technical amendment which will facilitate a phased approach to the commencement of the legislation. For example, it may be necessary to commence the repeal of aspects of the Water Services Act 2007 and the Water Services Act 2013 on a staged basis - in other words it will not all happen on the same day. The Department will consult closely with the Office of the Attorney...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: These amendments are to provide clarification regarding responsibility for the operation and maintenance of storm water sewers. The Bill as published provides that the ownership of the storm water sewer network would remain vested in the local authorities. These amendments provide that the local authorities would also retain responsibility for maintenance and supervision of the storm water...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Food Security (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 301, 302 and 318 together. The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets all Member States a binding target that 10% of the energy used in the transport sector must come from renewable sources by 2020. In all Member States, biofuels will be the largest contributor to meeting this obligation and all biofuels used in doing so must comply with a strict set of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Data (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 109 and 120 of 4 December which states that t he recruitment of staff is a matter for Irish Water. The information requested is not available in my Department.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Under the legislation, provision is made for it to end by that date.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: As I understand it, the legislation makes provision for it to finish on that date.

Supplementary Estimates for Public Services 2013 (5 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move the following Supplementary Estimates: Vote 18 — Shared Services (Supplementary Estimate)That a supplementary sum not exceeding €1,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2013, for the salaries and expenses of Shared Services. Vote 31 — Transport, Tourism and Sport (Supplementary...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputies for their comments on the proposed amendments to section 71 of the Bill which provides for the introduction of an additional levy of 0.15% on pension scheme assets in 2014 and 2105. The existing levy of 0.6% which was introduced in 2011 to fund the jobs initiative will cease to apply on 31 December 2014. Amendment No. 36 seeks to delete section 71 from the Bill, while...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The amendments proposed by Deputies Doherty and Boyd Barrett would have the result of deleting the budget increases in the rates of alcohol products tax. These increases, when VAT is included, amount to 10 cent on a pint of beer or cider, 10 cent on a measure of spirits and 50 cent on a bottle of wine, with pro rata increases for other products. The expected yield from these increases is...