Results 1-20 of 29 for cowen speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Project Ireland 2040: Discussion (22 Mar 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have an answer for Deputy Cowen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Project Ireland 2040: Discussion (22 Mar 2018)

Fergus O'Dowd: In reply to my good friend and colleague, Deputy Barry Cowen, the national spatial strategy should have been revised once its cycle came to an end, as he rightly noted. It was a disastrous strategy because very few of the designated areas actually became growth areas. Drogheda which had been omitted from it heretofore actually grew to become the biggest town in Ireland. That is how wrong...

Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report Stage (15 Dec 2016)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes. I would have to send Deputy Barry Cowen for her mother.

Housing (Sale of Local Authority Housing) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Jul 2016)

Fergus O'Dowd: ..., by approximately the same time. Right now, it is all about supply. It is all about making sure that those houses are built. That is why the Bill is coming at the wrong time, particularly as Deputy Cowen will be aware that the Government has accepted the recommendation of the committee of which we were both members that the tenant purchase scheme should be reviewed. The Government...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 34 - Environment, Community and Local Government (Revised) (30 Jun 2016)

Fergus O'Dowd: ...to be getting value for money but I do not believe they are. I appreciate that this is a meeting to discuss the Estimates meeting and not policy but the question must be asked, taking Deputy Cowen's comments into account, as to whether it would be worthwhile looking at a review of the entire funding structure. Could an independent authority or consultant be appointed - I hate to use the...

Committee on Housing and Homelessness: Peter McVerry Trust (26 May 2016)

Fergus O'Dowd: .... To summarise what he said, there is nothing that cannot be done by the Government if it so decides in the public interest in addressing the issue of homelessness. I agree with what Deputy Barry Cowen said about the provision of legal advice. I think I also said it. If we insert that proposal as a recommendation, we will all stand behind it because it is what has to happen. I...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: Deputies Barry Cowen and Kevin Humphreys asked in parliamentary questions about the costs of the set-up of Irish Water to date. The answer he got was that was a matter for Irish Water. When those questions came before me when I was Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, they should have been forwarded to Irish Water for direct replies. That...

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: ...men and women to perform their jobs and live the decent and honourable lives to which they and we are entitled. I propose to address a number of issues raised by Deputies, specifically Deputy Cowen. Unfortunately, when I asked the Deputy what he said his contribution had not yet been published. That is not a reflection on the Debates Office. The Deputy informed me that his remark...

Valuation Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (4 Jul 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy Cowen again for bringing this Bill before the House. We have had a very useful debate with contributions from all sides. The agreement we have reached in principle is very welcome. An outcome like this shows it can be useful to have debates on these issues on a Friday. I look forward to the Committee Stage debate. Having attended many matches over the years, I am aware...

Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: ...she thinks is fine. I am telling her what was in the e-mail I received yesterday. She can contradict what she likes, but she cannot contradict the fact that this is what happened. Deputies Cowen and Kevin Humphreys were telephoned to explain that this should not have happened. The question of how parliamentary questions are answered is a separate issue. I might point to what the...

Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: ...on the legislation because I want it to be right. I will not stand over something that is not transparent or accountable. Two questions were asked in the Dáil in November, one by Deputy Barry Cowen and another by Deputy Kevin Humphreys. Both Deputies asked specifically about the set-up costs of Irish Water. I said in my answer that I had asked the Department to forward those...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Revised) (21 Jan 2014)

Fergus O'Dowd: I would like to comment on the points made by Deputies Cowen and Stanley. I particularly wish to address Deputy Stanley's assertion that he was deliberately misled during debates in the Dáil. I utterly refute that assertion. The commitment to make Irish Water or Uisce Éireann subject to the Freedom of Information Act was given by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform...

Water Services (No.2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I did not interrupt the Deputy in the way he is now doing. Deputies Cowen and Stanley raised the important issues of water poverty and ability to pay. These issues will be dealt with by the Government. The questions about the free allowance and affordability are also important and will be dealt with in a transparent manner long before the first bill comes through the door. As the bills...

Housing (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 May 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: ...to harmonise rent rates across the country in a way that is broadly neutral as regards total local authority rental income. This means that some households will face higher rents while the rent payable by other households will fall. The regulations will provide for a phased introduction of material adjustments to rent levels in individual cases. Deputy Cowencalled for the differential...

Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 May 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: ...General in his 2011 report. They will facilitate the putting in place of further mechanisms that may be necessary to tackle any residual minor evasion. In this regard and to reduce evasion, I noted Deputy Cowen's suggestion on the potential sharing of data through the use of existing mechanisms. My Department and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport are considering the...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I know Deputy Cowen has read the legislation, which amends the Water Services Act 2007. This is what the Bill will do. It amends an existing Act which forbids privatisation.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: ...to ensure there is full and proper debate on every aspect of that. Key to the credibility of what we are doing is for people to accept the very difficult economic situation we are in. Deputy Cowen said that unless all these issues were properly discussed today, his party could not accept the process. One of the difficulties is that we do not have time because of the time pressures of...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I did not interrupt the Deputy. Sitting in this seat was the former Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen, who signed a deal with the troika. On behalf of the State he signed up to introducing charges by 1 January 2014. That is what he signed and as the succeeding Government, we have to accept that commitment. That is what the previous Government did - that is the way the country was at the time.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: ...consultation with the Department of Social Protection and other stakeholders on this matter. I refer to some of the points raised by the three Members opposite. All of them - Deputies Stanley, Cowen and Catherine Murphy - are particularly concerned about the issue of privatisation. The Bill is an amendment to existing legislation which forbids the sale of any water asset to any private...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Bord Gáis is under the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. I will ask that Department to issue a reply to Deputy Cowen's question on the sale of parts of the company. The plan for the future of water and the water services investment programme, which is available to the Oireachtas as a document, sets out the future needs so we can compute a costed programme....