Results 12,641-12,660 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Tá mé sásta tuairimí an Seanadóir a thabhairt chuig an Aire.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I also welcome Mr. Ronnie Delany who was and still is one of my heroes. I welcome Senator Eamonn Coghlan, too. Ta mé ag glacadh an díospóireacht seo thar ceann an Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna. Mar a dúirt an Seanadóir, tá an tAire sa Dáil faoi láthair. Glacaim leis go bhfuil an díospóireacht seo an-tábhachtach don Seanadóir Healy Eames, a d'ardaigh ceist Gaelscoil de hÍde in...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Mar a dúirt mé, beidh mé an-sásta na tuairimí a nochtadh anseo a chur faoi bhráid an Aire chomh luath agus is féidir. Caithfidh mé a rá arís go bhfuil suíomh faighte acu agus go bhfuil sé soiléir go mbeidh na conarthaí sínithe agus an suíomh aimsithe roimh deireadh na míosa seo chugainn. Tarlóidh an méid sin tapaidh go leor. Mar a luaigh an Seanadóir, dúirt mé go...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Tá mé sásta tuairimí an Seanadóir a thabhairt chuig an Aire.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Salmon Conservation (19 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that over the past number of years Ireland has been at the forefront of efforts to conserve and protect salmon, which also ensures the continued availability of salmon stock for economic exploitation. Actions have included the closure of the mixed stock drift net fishery, the closure of individual rivers and catchments to exploitation where...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (19 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 463 to 465, inclusive, together. The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the table hereunder, all fees and rentals due have been paid in full. While applications for petroleum prospecting licences were submitted by the companies no such authorisations were granted due to the nature of the work programmes proposed. Maps showing the areas granted to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (19 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have made it clear on a number of occasions that any application for an exploration licence that proposed the use of hydraulic fracturing as part of an unconventional gas exploration programme would be subject to a full environmental impact assessment. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) entails consideration of the potential impacts of a project on population, fauna, flora, soil,...

Topical Issue Debate: Electricity Generation (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am responding on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte. The Minister has no actual statutory function in this matter. Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity generation market is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, which is an independent statutory regulator. In regard to giving the go-ahead, the Deputy may...

Topical Issue Debate: Electricity Generation (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister has absolutely no function in regard to the CER. It is proper that it is totally independent of the Government. That is how it should be. Regulators must operate in an open and transparent manner. The Deputy has raised important questions and I will ask the Department to respond to him thereon. The key office he should contact in regard to the points he made is that of the...

Topical Issue Debate: Pyrite Panel Report Recommendations (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. I want to make it clear at the outset that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has no regulatory or oversight role in this specific area. The Financial Services Ombudsman is the statutory authority with responsibility for dealing with these complaints, and I would encourage home owners with a complaint...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Referral to Select Sub-Committee (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government pursuant to Standing Order 82A(3)(a) and (6)(a) and 126(1).

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: -----but I want to go back over the key issues.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am happy to stand before the people at any time. I am quite confident that I have their confidence after today's announcement of the creation of 450 jobs in County Louth. That is pretty good, baby. I would not say "No" to that.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: By the way, we want them to come back tomorrow with another 450 jobs.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: If Deputy Boyd Barrett played ball, we would get on. The issues with regard to group water schemes are very clear. There will be no change in the status of such schemes. They will continue to have the facilities and relationships they enjoy at present. One of the key things about group water schemes is that rural dwellers buy into them. One of the major developments in this area has been...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: There is no issue about this. On Committee Stage, I will be happy to listen to arguments on this and I do not see a problem in this regard if we include what is in the 2007 Act in this Bill. I will be happy to take seriously the issues raised and to deal with them then. Deputy Murphy raised an important point with regard to flat rate charges. There will not be a flat rate charge. It is...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Is mór an onóir dom é bheith i láthair chun éisteacht leis an díospóireacht seo. Caithfidh mé a rá i dtús báire nár cuireadh aon ghilitín ar an mBille seo ar chor ar bith. Tugadh cead cainte do gach éinne a chur a ainm nó a hainm síos chun caint ar an reachtaíocht seo. Tá roinnt nóiméad...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Is í sin an cheist. Cá bhfuil siad? Tá mé ag éisteacht leis an sórt seo cainte ó Teachtaí an eite chlé, mar a ghlaonn siad orthu féin, le fada an rá. Tá sé soiléir go bhfuil dhá rud ag titim amach sa tSín, an tír ar domhain ina bhfuil an eite chlé is láidre - tá universal metering acu agus...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Níor chuir mé isteach ar an Teachta. Ba cheart dó éisteacht liom le foighne agus dea-bhéasa. This is an important debate and I welcome the constructive comments from all sides of the House. Every Deputy who wished to speak had an opportunity to do so. That is important to those of us who sit on this side of the House and speakers on all sides made excellent...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: China which is deemed to be a communist country has a universal metering system in which there are universal charges for households.