Results 1,241-1,260 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Relations (13 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: 1373. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update in respect of the engagement between unions representing personal assistants in ETBs and his Department in relation to their long-term working conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27940/23]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: 1398. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will seek an update on the long-awaited and now much-delayed Ardee Castle redevelopment, funded through the rural regeneration and redevelopment fund; the reason for the delays; if a projected timeline can be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28035/23]

Report on the Good Friday Agreement: Motion (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Fáiltím roimh an méid atá ráite ag gach duine sa Teach inniu. Measaim gur féidir linn go léir leanúint leis an obair, ag comhoibriú agus ag obair le daoine ó thuaidh agus ó dheas ach go háirithe. I thank all the contributors for their remarks so far on the committee’s report. It is a collective report and the committee...

Report on the Good Friday Agreement: Motion (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move: That Dáil Éireann shall take note of the Report of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement entitled "Lessons from the Architects of the Good Friday Agreement", copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 27th March, 2023. The recent anniversaries of the signature of the Good Friday Agreement and of its resounding endorsement...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Drogheda is the largest town in Ireland with a population of more than 80,000, yet since March it has had no driver testing centre. A total of 2,700 people who applied to sit their test in Drogheda must go elsewhere to towns they neither live in nor know well. A freedom of information request shows that of the significant number of centres turned down by the Road Safety Authority, two were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business Opportunities and Differences: Engagement with Irish SME Association (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: On behalf of our committee, I welcome Mr. Neil McDonnell, chief executive officer of the Irish SME Association, to discuss opportunities and differences facing businesses on both sides of the Border. Before we begin I will explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses as regards references witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business Opportunities and Differences: Engagement with Irish SME Association (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Mr. McDonnell from raising those points. We begin with the Fianna Fáil slot.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business Opportunities and Differences: Engagement with Irish SME Association (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is a very serious issue in terms of where Britain will export to apart from what it uses internally. It puts the British at a particular disadvantage if they do that and also creates issues around the credibility of the product and whether it will ever be bought again. How would anyone know where it is coming from? There would have to be clear identity markings on those products.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business Opportunities and Differences: Engagement with Irish SME Association (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: We will now move on to Ms Hanna of the SDLP.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business Opportunities and Differences: Engagement with Irish SME Association (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Mr. McDonnell very much. That was very informative. On the question of the shortage of workers here as opposed to service providers, it seems that people who are seeking international protection may have the skills that are needed. Does Mr. McDonnell have a view on whether they ought to be able to work here if we need somebody-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business Opportunities and Differences: Engagement with Irish SME Association (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: -----and they have those skills and they are here?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business Opportunities and Differences: Engagement with Irish SME Association (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I accept that. According to surveys I have read, however, 40% of the Ukrainians intend to stay here in the medium term. Obviously, many of them would have partners. There is an issue we have to think about. If people seeking international protection have the necessary skills, is there a reason they should not be able to work if we need them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business Opportunities and Differences: Engagement with Irish SME Association (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Is Mr. Hazzard on the line?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business Opportunities and Differences: Engagement with Irish SME Association (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Does Senator Ó Donnghaile wish to come in on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business Opportunities and Differences: Engagement with Irish SME Association (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Mr. McDonnell for his contribution. I acknowledge the massive knowledge and insight he has into the issues that were raised here. I have certainly learned a lot from his contribution, as have our members. It is food for thought and gives us a different perspective on the problems we will face if and when we get our unity and on how we might increase co-operation, North and South,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Funding (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: 177. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if there are any proposals to fund or commence a property tech-related innovation fund to try and encourage and grow new and innovative ideas to tackle the many issues being faced regarding housing stock and supply at the moment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26898/23]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: 218. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will increase his Department's funding for 2023 to Louth County Council for housing adaptation grants, in view of the decision by the council not to accept any new applications in 2023 and that the council states that it has an existing backlog of 300 individually approved applications already; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: 219. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to outline, in tabular form, the funding requested from each local authority for housing adaptation grants to his Department for 2021, 2022 and 2023; the amount subsequently granted; if any local authority has requested further funding for these grants since its 2023 allocation; if he can request from each local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Industrial Disputes (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: 223. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will ensure that all avenues are explored to avoid the upcoming potential strike action (details supplied) which may impact upon persons with significant vulnerabilities such as the elderly and persons with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26954/23]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (1 Jun 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: 246. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons convicted of breaching domestic violence orders; the number of cases which resulted in jail terms for the perpetrators in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023. [26816/23]