Results 12,301-12,320 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Angling Restrictions (25 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Ireland manages salmon stocks generally on an individual river basis due to the fact that each river contains a genetically unique stock, which migrates to sea as juveniles and returns to the same river in adulthood to spawn. The conservation imperative means that exploitation of salmon of each river is only permitted where the independent Standing Scientific Committee (SSC) for Salmon...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fisheries Protection (25 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The annual allocation of public licences for commercial draft nets is governed by the provisions of the relevant Control of Fishing for Salmon Order. The issuing of licences is administered by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and the decision on licence allocations were made in advance of the season which commenced on the 12th May. Any person over the age of 18 is entitled to apply for a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Fisheries Protection (25 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I can advise the Deputy that the Control of Fishing for Salmon order provides for a nominee on a commercial salmon fishing licence. In the event that the licence holder is unable to fish, the nominee may fish the licence on their behalf provided the licence holder is medically unfit to fish the licence and can provide medical evidence to that effect. The Licence holder can seek to have a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Environmental Policy (25 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The matters raised by the Deputy regarding ownership of a site and monitoring of environmental emissions are matters which fall outside the scope of my statutory remit. My role, pursuant to the Minerals Development Act 1960, extends to the licensing of petroleum exploration activities, including granting consent to the drilling of petroleum exploration and production wells. The Dowra 2...

Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions: Motion (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move:That, notwithstanding anything in the Order of the Dáil of 9 March, 2011, setting out the rota in which Questions to members of the Government are to be asked, or in the Order of the Dáil of 13 June, 2013, Questions for oral answer, following those next set down to the Minister for Education and Skills, shall be set down to Ministers in the following temporary...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Dáil Reform (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: No. Tá an lá tagtha.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Dáil Reform (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Once there is progress, that is okay. Having sat here in two previous Dála looking over at the serried ranks of Fianna Fáil as they were then, the uniqueness of the Fianna Fáil seats was there were only two of them who were not a Minister, a junior Minister, a Chairman, a convenor, a Vice Chairman or whatever - all on the public purse and in some way doing Oireachtas business...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Dáil Reform (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am not aware that we are. I am not quite clear on it but I will get an answer to Deputy Boyd Barrett from the Chief Whip. I am sorry. I was not at that meeting and I do not know.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Dáil Reform (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will be happy to get the Deputy the answer to that.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Dáil Reform (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Frequently, there are sittings on Fridays and progress in that area. When there is a dispute, as I used to have when I was in opposition, with a Minister about the answer to parliamentary questions, there will now be a process where there will be transparency about what happened and the Deputy can discuss all those issues with the Ceann Comhairle. Are we sitting more often? Yes. Is more...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Dáil Reform (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The views of Members opposite are valuable. The debate between the Whips will continue and suggestions that were made will be passed on to the Chief Whip. The point is to make the Oireachtas more accountable and to make Ministers more accountable, both in committee and in the Dáil. On the timetable for legislation, if it is clear when it is published and, given the nature of it, that...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Dáil Reform (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: There has been significant change from the time the Deputy's party was last in Government. Regarding the sitting days, I gave the Deputy the comparison. Taking 2008 as the previous Government's last full year, and 2011 under this Government, the fact is that we are sitting much more often than was the case under the Deputy's Government. Obviously, times were difficult for the previous...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Third Level Participation (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: While it is not in the question, education research shows that for those from disadvantaged communities in particular, the preschool year and the associated additional education and resources put into it are the most important resources to those children and those homes. Moreover, the outcome from a significant investment in preschool, particularly for disadvantaged communities, is extremely...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Dáil Reform (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 5, inclusive, together. The programme for Government sets out an ambitious Oireachtas reform agenda, which includes a referendum on the abolition of the Seanad, the enhancing of the Oireachtas committee system and the reform of Dáil Éireann. A restricted use of the guillotine and a minimum period of time between each stage of a Bill’s...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Third Level Participation (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Information on the number of students by socioeconomic group is available from the census of population which was taken in April 2011. The results show that there were 156,599 post-secondary school students in Ireland at the time of the census, of whom some 24,187 hold a degree or higher qualification. The following table shows the breakdown of students by age and socioeconomic group. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Third Level Participation (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The figures show that a much higher percentage of persons classified as being in the employers and managers socioeconomic group - 77.6% - were pursuing post-secondary school education compared with those classified as semi-skilled - 40% - or unskilled - 39.1%. As Deputy Ó Snodaigh correctly pointed out, a lot more people from a home with greater income or professional status are...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Third Level Participation (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I regret that I do not have the figures the Deputy sought but I understand the Central Statistics Office will be happy to liaise with him on any further data it might be able to provide to him. It was incumbent on the office to answer the question asked but it would be happy to provide further information. I agree that we must ensure particular supports are available to disadvantaged...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Broadband Services Provision (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The MANs project involved fibre optic investment in many locations throughout the country. In several places in the west, for example, and in other parts of the country the MANs were never lit up. This was because while the fibre might have been in the community there was no connectivity back through the country to Dublin or no proper connections. This meant it was in the ground and deemed...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Broadband Services Provision (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Os rud é go bhfuil an Taoiseach as láthair, tá mé ag freagairt na ceisteanna seo thar a cheann agus thar ceann an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Kehoe. The information requested by the Deputy regarding the number of small and medium enterprises which do not have access to fibre-based broadband across the State is not available. The CSO collects data on six different types of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Broadband Services Provision (18 Jun 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I would be happy to bring the Deputy's point on the type of survey done to the attention of the CSO. The national broadband plan was launched by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, on 30 August 2012. The targets include having 70 megabytes to 100 megabytes for at least 50% of the population, with the majority having access to the latter, to be...