Results 13,301-13,320 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I apologise for that. As a former Senator, I know how important it is to circulate such scripts.

Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: There should be explanatory memorandum but the Oireachtas Library has facilitated everyone with a very detailed digest of the Bill. We all know, particularly Fianna Fáil Members, why we are having this debate; it is because Fianna Fáil got us into trouble when it was in government with the bank guarantee and the way it ran the economy.

ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: This has been a very important debate. It goes to the heart of where the country is going, how we are going to revive the economy and how we are going to create jobs. The key is that we must take all possible steps to reduce the number of people who are leaving the country in despair, to try to keep them at home and provide them with real employment and create new infrastructure. The only...

ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: We have a Trotskyite troika on the benches opposite.

ESB and Disposal of State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: What happened last Christmas?

EU Directives (20 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: As the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, is on official business and not in the Dáil today, I have been asked to take this important matter on his behalf. I thank the Deputy for raising it. In its judgment in case C-66/06, delivered in November 2010, the European Court of Justice found that Ireland's system of environmental impact assessment...

EU Directives (20 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes.

EU Directives (20 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I assure the Deputy I will bring her comments to the attention of both Ministers and will obtain an answer to her questions on fines and costs.

EU Directives (20 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes, sheep, too.

Water Charges (20 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputies for their comments. As the report yesterday by the Comptroller and Auditor General shows, there is a real problem in Ireland with unaccounted-for water, with losses in 2009 ranging from in excess of 21% to in excess of 58% across counties, a slight increase on the position reported for 2008. I agree with both Deputies that these levels of leakage are far too high and...

Water Charges (20 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I agree with what the Deputies have said. In my capacity as Minister of State, I visited the counties with the highest levels of unaccounted for water. I have already visited areas in Roscommon, south Tipperary, Kilkenny and Galway and I intend to travel to other counties. It is essential that this matter be addressed. I agree that if we can attract buy-in from the public in respect of...

Planning Issues (20 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning, Deputy Penrose, who is currently in the Seanad. I thank Deputies Broughan and Seán Kenny for their contributions. I will bring to the attention of the Minister of State their deep concerns and those of their constituents. As the Deputies will be aware, Dublin City Council has initiated...

Planning Issues (20 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I assure Deputies Broughan and Kenny that I take what they have said very seriously. I will bring their remarks to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Penrose. He will be deeply concerned about the manner in which things have been done in this estate. As I indicated earlier, the remediation of defects of this kind is a matter to be dealt with by the parties concerned - the owner...

Introduction of Water Charges (15 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: The programme for Government provides for the introduction of a fair funding model to deliver clean and reliable water. The objective is to install water meters in households and move to a charging system based on usage above a free allowance. My Department is currently preparing a strategy to implement these proposals, which will include consideration of the impacts on those categories of...

Introduction of Water Charges (15 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Deputy referred to the answer provided in March and will know that the report was commissioned at the end of July. A draft report will be before us shortly, so the Government will be examining all the issues he raised. When that report is to hand we will make decisions that will bring into effect what is in the programme for Government. There is no doubt about what we will do and the...

Introduction of Water Charges (15 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Deputy is trying to raise hares that do not exist. The programme for Government states that "to achieve a better quality water and environment we will introduce a fair funding model to deliver clean and reliable water". So the objective is to install water meters in every household in Ireland and move to a charging system that is based on use above the free allowance. That is what we...

Introduction of Water Charges (15 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: We want to improve water services and funding is badly needed. There is an inadequate water supply in Dublin, so water will have to be pumped from the Shannon to protect the city's supplies in future. There are various issues concerning climate change also. While water does come out of the sky it must be purified to make it potable. Creating any other scenario does not make sense if the...

Introduction of Water Charges (15 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: All those issues must dealt with and that is what the report will deal with.

Introduction of Water Charges (15 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: There has been no decision.

Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta (14 Sep 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes, I have. I am responding on behalf of the Department to the issues the Deputy has raised.