Results 17,221-17,240 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: Is it Irish only?

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: I would like the Minister of State to clarify a point I may have misunderstood in reading the explanatory memorandum. According to the memorandum, section 12 sets out the detailed criteria for registration by persons who are nationals of EU member states and the European Economic Area in accordance with EU regulations. Did the Minister of State's response to my earlier question mean that...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: When I queried section 12, I thought I was told it made provisions in respect of Irish people only. The explanatory memorandum, however, states that section 12 also covers nationals of EU member states and the EEA. It is a technical point. The Minister of State made the point to Deputy Quinn that a statutory declaration should not be enough on its own.

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Disability Federation of Ireland and the Irish Wheelchair Association have expressed strong views with regard to buildings. How will this impact on what the Minister of State has said?

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: How can we address their concerns? My amendment No. 14 was ruled out of order.

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: What does that mean?

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: This is an important issue. The Bill concerns qualification and people who are deemed to be architects and practising as such. I have received representations from the Group of Independent Architects in Ireland, GIAI, which, with the Architects and Surveyors Institute, ASI, the Incorporated Association of Architects and Surveyors, IAAS, and the Irish Architects Society, IAS, has contributed...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: Notwithstanding what the Minister said, this group of people clearly believes they are not being helped by this Bill. As they told me in the letter, the document entitled A Framework for Registration for the Architectural Profession in Ireland states in section 6.5 that the RIAI will propose an assessment system which will provide for the acknowledgement of an established right to practise...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move amendment No. 9: In page 6, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: ""grandfather clause" means the provisions of this Act (principally as described in sections 12, and 20) which enable a person to be registered as an architect, based on training acquired by practical means and acknowledging their established right to practice, without formal qualifications, prior to the...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister of State defines "poor professional conduct". Perhaps he might read out that definition from section 2.

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: Perhaps I might check the page, which I cannot find.

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have no problem with what the Minister of State intends, but I am not totally satisfied that the word "poor" is sufficiently clear, notwithstanding the definition given. The term is subjective. One teacher may feel that an essay is poor, but another might find it excellent. When one gets into such conflicts, the courts ultimately decide for or against a professional. Perhaps we might...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the amendment and the commitment the Minister of State has made. In making new regulations, will he specifically consider dwellings that are expressly built for old people? Notwithstanding the Minister of State's commitment which I welcome and support, there ought to be a higher standard for dwellings, known as OPDs, specifically built for pensioners. Such dwellings must be...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: I wish to recommit this amendment.

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: We agreed that we could do so.

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move amendment No. 15: In page 7, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: 4.—The Act of 1990 is amended in section 3 by the insertion of the following after subsection (13): "(14) No work shall commence on any construction before due consideration has been given to the inclusion of third party consultation in all major public developments.".". Ba mhaith liom é a chur faoi...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will not withdraw my amendment. I wish to put it to a vote. Notwithstanding everything the Minister of State has said, organisations representing those who suffer from disabilities would like to have a greater role in the statutory regulation of this area. I accept what the Minister of State said about some buildings but there are other ones that do not have proper access for disabled...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome what the Minister of State has said. To take an example in my constituency, there is no proper disability access to Drogheda Post Office. It is very difficult for disabled people to get in there. I am not talking just about physical access to buildings, but also the urban environment in towns, including footpaths, which may not be properly structured for the disabled. There are...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move amendment No. 16: In page 9, line 30, to delete "to" and substitute "to, and use of,".

Hospitals Building Programme. (28 Feb 2007)

Fergus O'Dowd: This issue is very important and I thank the Ceann Comhairle for placing it on the agenda. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, is the major acute hospital for the region and the majority of regional services are based there. The hospital represents a critical mass of consultants, doctors and nurses for the region and its future is in doubt following the Teamwork report. I tabled the...