Results 12,381-12,400 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Gas Exploration Revenue (18 Apr 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 168 together. There have been four commercial natural gas discoveries since exploration began offshore Ireland in the early 1970s, namely the Kinsale, Ballycotton and Seven Heads (Kinsale area) producing gas fields off the coast of Cork and the Corrib gas field off the coast of Mayo. There have been no commercial discoveries of oil to date. The...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Establishment (17 Apr 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 to 179, inclusive, together. The Water Sector Reform Implementation Strategy , which is published on my Department’s website, is focused on ensuring that appropriate policy and legal frameworks are put in place for Irish Water and the water sector. A key objective is to rationalise the cost of the current service delivery and ensure more...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I assure Senator Barrett that all of the issues he raised, and those which are regularly raised with the Department by the industry, are very much under discussion. However, they are extremely complex. I know the Senator acknowledges that fact. Notwithstanding their complexity, the issues in question are the subject of active contemplation and discussion. I appreciate that the Senator...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Senator Barrett for tabling this amendment. The contribution of the Members of this House allows for the most reflective debate on the issues. I acknowledge the professional information and the background studies that he has offered to the Department. I know they will be welcomed and will be considered, which is what he requested. The Minister cannot accept the amendment today. He...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: In response to Senator Mooney, this is not the first year that funding has been taken from motor tax income and used to service the national debt. That was done last year as well, with an amount of ¤46 million. This year, the maximum that can be taken is ¤150 million. This will only happen in the last quarter of the year when all of the issues will be examined and the balance that is...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes. It may not be that amount but it absolutely cannot exceed the ¤150 million limit. In response to Senator Landy, the Government decided to introduce the local property tax this year. When one talks about funding local government, the critical issue is the powers given to elected members of local government. I spent 27 years in local government as an elected representative. Like the...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Second Stage (28 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank all the Senators for their contributions. As we are taking Committee and Remaining Stages today, I will not delay the House. Many of the points made make sense in their own right. When we examine what we have to do as a country and how we have to fund the road network and local government we have no choice but to do what we did in the budget. The key point is the relationship...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Second Stage (28 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The primary purpose of the Bill is to give legislative effect to the increases in motor tax rates and trade plate licences contained in the financial resolution on motor tax passed by the Dáil on budget day, 5 December 2012. The new rates applied in respect of motor tax paid after budget night for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013. The Bill confirms the increases in motor tax...

Seanad: Philantrophy and Fund-raising: Motion (27 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: She is very good.

Motor Vehicles (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (27 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move the following amendment: That the word "vehicles" be changed to "vehicle".

Motor Vehicles (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (27 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am not denying that.

Motor Vehicles (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (27 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: May I respond?

Motor Vehicles (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (27 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputies for their comments and views. I should first point out that the amendments tabled by Deputies Catherine Murphy and Dessie Ellis were ruled out of order not by the Department but by this House. I am happy to debate the issues. While they cannot be put before the House by way of amendment, they can be debated in the context of our discussion. I note that Deputy Murphy...

Motor Vehicles (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (27 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am trying to deal comprehensively with the points raised. Is that okay?

Motor Vehicles (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (27 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am speaking specifically on the amendment and the points made by Deputies Catherine Murphy, Dessie Ellis and Thomas Pringle. I believe this is a balanced approach. The Government is committed to supporting the Local Government Fund, which will retain the bulk of income from motor tax to be used to fund local services. The balance of the fund, for distribution to local authorities and to...

Motor Vehicles (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013: Order for Report Stage (27 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now." I will be proposing a verbal amendment to the Short Title of the Bill to correct a small error: in section 8, on page 13, to delete the word "Vehicles" and replace it with the word "Vehicle". It is purely technical. I make the point so we will know what we are talking about.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (20 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 366 together. The Water Sector Reform Implementation Strategy , which is published on my Department’s website, is focused on ensuring that appropriate policy and legal frameworks are put in place for Irish Water and the water sector. The Implementation Strategy provides clarity on the steps involved in this process and the key milestones and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (20 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: In January 2012 my Department initiated a public consultation process seeking views in relation to the development of an implementation plan for Water Sector Reform. The consultation paper and a copy of the independent assessment which examined the optimal organisational structure for the Irish Water utility have been published on my Department’s website. The development of the...

Other Questions: European Council Meetings (14 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I would be happy to take the Deputy's view back to the Minister, but this is not a formal decision-making body. It is a useful forum at which member states can put forward ideas and discuss topical issues. The debates at the meeting were fruitful, particularly in respect of the preparations for the European Council on defence arranged for December of this year, and it also gave further...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Properties (14 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 22 together. I am taking this question on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Deputy Alan Shatter. Since 1998 a total of 14 barracks have been closed under various barrack consolidation programmes. To date, nine of these barracks - Clancy in Dublin, Castleblayney, Ballincollig, Fermoy, Naas, Monaghan, Cavan,...