Results 1,721-1,740 of 2,965 for speaker:Robert Dowds

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (25 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: 474. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on his progress with promised immigration and residency protection legislation; the way this legislation is likely to affect people already in the immigration system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30673/13]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (25 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: 475. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will give further consideration to the true costs of the direct provision system for asylum seekers, including health care, social welfare and legal costs; and if the direct provision system is still cheaper than providing for asylum seekers in the community when these costs are taken into account. [30674/13]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (25 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: 476. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the mental health care provided for asylum seekers and persons seeking leave to remain who are living in direct provision; and if data is collected regarding the number of persons with serious mental health problems in the direct provision system. [30675/13]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (25 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: 477. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views regarding the issue of asylum seekers and permission to work. [30684/13]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (25 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: 478. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on leave to remain for asylum seekers who have been in the system for a long time. [30685/13]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (25 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: 479. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the way he is dealing with the backlog of applications for asylum. [30686/13]

An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: I will diverge from my colleague’s view on the debate. I have no problem with the abolition of the Seanad, as such, because it is elitist and does not live up to the corporate ideals that inspired de Valera’s reconstruction of the Seanad in the 1930s. That said, I recognise that many Senators made valuable contributions to political life in this country. It would be unfair...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: If we can deal with this issue, it might be useful to include the other counties that have been revalued. South Dublin has been revalued, so it would interesting to see the impact on those counties.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: Given that correspondence always takes at least half an hour, I suggest witnesses are not invited in until 10.30 a.m.

Topical Issue Debate: Middle East Peace Process (19 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: I have one brief comment. I agree with the Minister of State that this is not the major issue in the Middle East, but because it was brought to the attention of Deputy Dooley and myself, we felt obliged to raise it. There is a very important message for the Israeli authorities here. If they treated their own citizens well, that would flag Israel as a vastly superior state compared with,...

Topical Issue Debate: Middle East Peace Process (19 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: I agree with Deputy Dooley's remarks. Apart from us, the delegation included two parliamentarians from Britain - a Scottish Labour MEP and a Liberal Democrat Member of the House of Lords - as well as a Belgian senator and a Lithuanian Liberal Democratic MEP, the son of a Holocaust survivor. I wish to focus on the second day of our trip when we visited the Bedouin community south of...

Order of Business (19 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: In recent times we have seen a number of cases where powerful vested interests have tried to stand in the way of us tackling the problems related to our national drug of choice, namely, alcohol. In that regard, could I ask the Minister where stands the legislation on two items, first, the sale of alcohol Bill and, second, the public health (alcohol) Bill?

Access to the Countryside Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (14 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: Before replying, I wish to make a point I did not have a chance to make in my initial contribution. I urge the Government not to sell the harvesting rights of Coillte. It is really important that this does not happen because it would put under threat existing access to Coillte's lands. Is there any guarantee that private individuals will leave the paths in good order after they have availed...

Access to the Countryside Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (14 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: A Cheann Comhairle, on a point of information, that is not included in the Bill. I have actually excluded that kind of scenario.

Access to the Countryside Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (14 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: Maybe they did not shake the box and just took out the one on the top.

Access to the Countryside Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (14 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: Perhaps I can refer briefly to the last section.

Access to the Countryside Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (14 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: Okay. I will do the best I can. Finally, this section of the Bill outlines the appeals procedure. A landowner who objects to the making of a declaration can appeal to An Bord Pleanála. Section 3(4)(d) proves that "an application for the Board's consent ... [must be made by the council] within 4 weeks after the expiry of the time allowed for submitting an objection". Section 4 sets...

Access to the Countryside Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (14 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." This Bill can be summed up in three phrases - good for jobs, good for health and good for tourism. I am very pleased to be given the opportunity to introduce the Access to the Countryside Bill 2013 to Dáil Éireann. Clearly, I have a lucky streak because the first time it went into the box it came out trumps, so I will have to...

Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: I have not been a member of this committee very long-----

Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)

Robert Dowds: I have never been leaned on by a Labour Party or Fine Gael Minister regarding anything I might ask at this committee.