Results 12,981-13,000 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Polling Stations (7 Jun 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Hogan, who is unavoidably absent. I thank Deputy McLoughlin for raising this important issue which is of interest to all Members. One of the duties that fall on a returning officer at elections and referenda is to provide a sufficient number of polling stations at every polling place for which he or she is responsible. Polling places...

Polling Stations (7 Jun 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputy for his comments and I assure him I will bring them to the attention of the Minister. I agree that priority must be given to unemployed people where possible. Obviously, there must be some experienced staff but there is no reason young unemployed people or older unemployed people should not be able to do all the jobs done in any polling station in the country.

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (22 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The 2007 EU Eel regulation (1100/2007), drafted in response to the endangered status of the European Eel, required EU States, including Ireland, to develop an Eel Management Plan. Based on the scientific facts available, a recommendation of this plan was that Ireland close both the commercial and recreational eel fisheries in 2008. Bye-laws, Conservation of Eel Fishing Bye-law No. C.S. 303,...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (22 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am advised that a planning application was made to the Local Authority in July 2010. The proposal was for construction of a weir on the River Fergus and, at the request of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the proposal included a fish counter. While an initial decision to grant planning permission was made in January 2011, on appeal, planning permission was refused by An Bord Pleanála. The...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (22 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Following scientific research conducted by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) indicating that the European eel stocks are in a critical state, the EU introduced Council Regulation 1100/2007, the objective of which is to achieve recovery of the stocks to previous high levels. The Regulation required that all Member States prepare a National Eel Management Plan...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (22 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 463 to 466, inclusive, together. The fiscal terms for petroleum exploration and production are set out in the Finance Acts, while the operational frameworks are detailed in the 1992 and 2007 Licensing Terms for Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration and Development. Since 1992 a corporation tax rate of 25% has applied to profits from all oil and gas production...

Mortgage Resolution Process (10 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy Broughan. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan. I acknowledge the ongoing, stressful, and distressing situation being experienced by these residents. They have been placed in a very difficult position and the Minister and all concerned wish to see their difficulties resolved as quickly as...

Mortgage Resolution Process (10 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Again, I thank Deputy Broughan for his comments and I assure him I will bring them to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Hogan, and also to the Department. He has raised important points that are not part of the briefing I was given but nevertheless they represent the deep concerns of the Deputy and other public representatives, and of the community of Priory Hall in general who have been...

Housing Aid (10 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy Ellis for bringing this issue before the House. I will respond on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan. The shared ownership scheme was introduced in 1991 to a very different housing environment, as Deputy Ellis outlined. It was designed to facilitate access to full home ownership in two or more stages to persons who could...

Housing Aid (10 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Deputy Ellis raised some important points, some of which I do not have an answer to. I am sure the Department will be able to provide statistics and a response on the Keane report. Local authorities face serious challenges and mortgage holders across the country and shared ownership borrowers are facing additional challenges. We must take account of this. Revised guidance to local...

Departmental Staff (10 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is not as beautiful.

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (8 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The figures given in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 130 are the actual figures recorded by the counter and are not adjusted for periods when the counter was not operational due to flood and storm damage – hence very low or zero number of fish recorded by the counter in July, August and November, 2011. There are four channels in the fish counter in the river through which fish can pass...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (8 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is part of the broader public service and like all such organisations, its future lies within the overall programme of reform being advanced by Government, requiring a refocus on business processes and adjustments to the way all public bodies use available resources. While a number of IFI staff have retired recently, decisions on staff and resource deployment,...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (8 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Inland Fisheries Ireland operates in accordance with its 5 year corporate plan approved by its Board and published on its website. Each year an annual business plan flowing from the corporate plan is prepared covering all the activities of the organisation. Each annual business plan is an incremental step towards delivering on the key objectives set out in the corporate plan. In accordance...

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (3 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 15, 18 and 57 together. The Programme for Government includes a proposal to establish Irish Water, a State-owned water company that will take over the water investment and maintenance programmes of the 34 city and county councils who act as water services authorities. The Programme of Financial Support for Ireland with the EU/IMF/ECB also requires the...

Gas Exploration (2 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: In October of last year, the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, requested the EPA to conduct research and advise on the environmental implications of hydraulic fracturing as a means of extracting natural gas from underground reserves. The EPA commissioned preliminary background research into the environmental aspects of unconventional gas and into the regulatory approaches of other countries to...

Gas Exploration (2 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Although requested by the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, it is an EPA report. It is up to the EPA to publish it. We expect that the EPA will publish it within the next two weeks, possibly as early as next week. The important point to bear in mind on the other side of the argument is that Tamboran Resources believes there is approximately 41 billion cubic meters of reserves in unconventional gas...

Gas Exploration (2 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: No, but I would be happy to.

Gas Exploration (2 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I repeat it is an EPA report. It is not a Department report, even though we requested the EPA to carry out the work, and it is up to the EPA to publish it. It is a desk-top study. It is really only a research document looking at what is there at present and bringing that data together. The EPA intends to commission a further much more detailed report into all aspects of what is called...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (1 May 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: In relation to the issue of salmon smolts going to sea, the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) operate 10 large-scale hydro electric stations located on the Rivers Shannon, Erne, Liffey, Lee and the Clady/Crolly. ESB have advised that during the downward salmon migration to sea (March-early June), the ESB operate a salmon smolt generation protocol involving evening and early night-time...