Results 17,521-17,540 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Written Answers — Defence Forces Property: Defence Forces Property (12 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: Question 40: To ask the Minister for Defence the situation with regard to the building of affordable housing at Gormanston, County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32335/06]

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: Question 16: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 949 of 27 September 2006, the reason grant aid has not been returned to his Department; the discussions his Department has had with the company concerned regarding alternative employment on the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31926/06]

Order of Business (11 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: Hear, hear.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (10 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: Question 124: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on making all qualified adult payments directly to the qualified adult automatically; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31828/06]

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: Question 146: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when he will increase the qualified adult allowance to 100% of the personal rate as promised in Sustaining Progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31829/06]

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (5 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: Question 24: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the new projects specifically intended to deal with cocaine misuse which have been established since 2002; the total moneys allocated to these projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31208/06]

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (5 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is essential.

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (5 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Minister should appear in the advertisement.

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (5 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: It depends on the sentence. If one is in prison for more than five years, one cannot stand for the Dáil.

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (5 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: My colleague, Deputy Gay Mitchell MEP, has done much work in this area. In fact, he published the Electoral (Amendment) (Prisoners' Franchise) Bill 2005, which was the precursor to this Bill. We on this side of the House are very pleased that the Minister and the Department have taken on board the views expressed by Deputy Mitchell, as well as other views. Therefore, Fine Gael will support...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (5 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Minister.

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (5 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: We will decide that one. Internationally, there is a wide spectrum of approaches in different countries. Canada, the Ukraine, Iran — believe it or not — and South Africa allow prisoners to vote but bar some categories of prisoners. For example, in Australia, prisoners with a sentence of over five years cannot vote. In China, prisoners on death row cannot vote. It extends to a blanket...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (5 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: He had many people working for him disenfranchise all the people who had a previous conviction. It gave a terrible picture of a democracy for people who were no longer in prison and had discharged their obligation. They were pursued to get them off the electoral register because of their race and political situation. That was terrible. In Florida, it is estimated that one in three of all...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (5 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: I would be interested to hear the Minister's view on that. I also wish to raise the issue of voter education. It is difficult enough to get the general population to vote. Typically, almost four out of ten voters do not vote. I know we are trying to improve the electoral register so we will have to re-examine that voter turn-out figure again after the next election. Prisoners, in...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (4 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: Question 186: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will include all counties in the next spring clean pilot project where local authorities organise special open days to allow farmers to bring their stockpiled farm plastic waste to designated facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30970/06]

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (4 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: Question 215: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether the practice of retrospective issuing of fire safety certificates for buildings is desirable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30969/06]

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (4 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: Question 316: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason there has been a 33% fall in the number of homes granted planning permission in the second quarter of 2006 compared with the same period in 2005; the expected consequences of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31196/06]

House Prices. (4 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: Question 109: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the plans his Department has to encourage so-called empty nesters to trade down to smaller properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31194/06]

House Prices. (4 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: The CSO quarterly national housing survey has shown there are approximately 50,000 people living alone in houses with four or more bedrooms. Obviously they are not all elderly but a significant number is elderly. Many retired people, over the age of 65, are living in homes they can no longer maintain. These people are asset rich but cash poor. I ask the Minister of State to look again at...

House Prices. (4 Oct 2006)

Fergus O'Dowd: I understand the Minister of State's reply but the key point is to assist retired empty nesters to trade down should they so wish and thus make more homes available in the market place. One of the problems is supply and making affordable homes available. I agree with the Minister on the need for a mix in social and affordable housing. Will the Minister of State agree that, perhaps, we...