Results 16,081-16,100 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Marine Accidents. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the progress. The buoys on the Shannon are red and black, whereas the equivalent colours internationally are red and green. The latter are also the colours used in the North. It is much easier to notice red and green than red and black. Will that be a fundamental part of the rethinking? It would be much safer and, according to the board, a black barrel may not have been noticed...

State Airports. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the proposals but does the Minister not believe the airport authority has enough to do? As it indicates in its mission statement, it is an airport management company whose principal activities include airport management operation and domestic and international development. Does the Minister believe it should stick to that role? While welcoming and supporting the proposals, perhaps...

State Airports. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Absolutely.

State Airports. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: It must be entirely separate.

State Airports. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am glad we agree on something. Perhaps another point we would agree on is that the authority would address some other issues. I mentioned a pensioner earlier and his plight is a critical issue for elderly people. There is also a question of people coming off flights operated for Ryanair, for example, and walking across the apron in front of the terminal, which can be very dangerous....

Light Rail Project. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: My colleague, Deputy Varadkar, raised this issue with the Minister separately in a parliamentary question. The point he made is that the Government could have provided a valuable terminus in the Docklands by providing a Luas stop at Docklands train station. This would have provided a direct Luas link from Docklands station to Connolly station, O'Connell Street, Heuston Station and Tallaght,...

Light Rail Project. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Rightly so.

Light Rail Project. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Joined-up thinking means joined-up travelling, and the Minister is not providing it at this location.

Light Rail Project. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: So we notice.

Freight Transport. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: I agree it is an important report containing some excellent recommendations. One simple recommendation it makes is in regard to night-time construction of motorways. It refers specifically to construction work on road widening, particularly on the M50. We need to change our ways. On many occasions roads which are being improved are left abandoned, with nobody working on them in the...

Decentralisation Programme. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: The issue that arises in Drogheda concerns the 37 jobs, which are welcome. There was a proposal on the Department's website to move the Maritime Safety Directorate and elements of the coastguard to Drogheda. This could involve up to 200 jobs. What is the status of the report on this matter?

Decentralisation Programme. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: When will a final decision be made?

Road Safety. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Question 1: To ask the Minister for Transport when he expects to lower the legal blood-alcohol level for drivers, as has been recommended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18001/08]

Road Safety. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Will the Acting Chairman welcome us also?

Road Safety. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Does the Minister accept the recommendations and will they be implemented in full? This applies particularly to the reduction of the blood-alcohol content limit to 20 milligrams for drivers of buses, taxis and commercial vehicles as this is very important. Does the Minister, like me, receive representations from the vintners' federation and associations around Ireland? Everybody accepts...

Road Safety. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Perhaps I did not hear the Minister clearly. Did he say the recommendations on reductions have not been accepted?

Road Safety. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: The key point is that the Government has not agreed to accept the recommended reduction in the blood-alcohol content limit. Is that the current position?

Road Safety. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: Basically the Minister is waffling on this issue, as usual.

Road Safety. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister answered my question and waffled away. The fact is——

Road Safety. (8 May 2008)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Government has not accepted the recommendations. I am entitled to speak. The Government is not biting the bullet on this issue. We in Fine Gael accept that the Road Safety Authority's recommended reduction in the blood-alcohol content limit must be implemented. The Minister is on record as saying he would accept the recommendation but now he says the Government has neither accepted...