Results 21,461-21,480 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: The Government spent €540 million plus €172 million. It will probably raise a maximum of €140 million per year. It will probably be way less than that - some people are saying it will be €20 million - and for what? It has transferred 4,000 staff to a utility that is-----
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: We will get to that section later. I am not convinced by the argument made by Government and those who support this section that what Government is proposing with regard to a plebiscite would in any way, shape or form deal with the future ownership of water. While commentators might say now no Government would do it, I do not agree. Fine Gael, in particular, would be a party about which,...
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: That is very unfair.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: That is not a point of order.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: Fianna Fáil Members did not agree to the Order of Business; the House did.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: That is why we argued against it.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: It is part of our policy.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: The Minister is perfectly entitled to a break and he should have one. Could we propose a sos for half an hour?
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: Perhaps the Acting Leader of the House proposes-----
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: That is not what they voted for.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: They called for a referendum and backed down on it.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: I have listened to the debate on this section in detail and we debated Second Stage yesterday. I do not want to reiterate-----
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: I am talking on the amendment. We will get to the section in a while.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: We take this debate very seriously and the Minister has given his time as well. If the Seanad needs to sit into next week to get this right - it is sitting on Monday - what is the problem?
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: That is good to hear.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: I am glad to hear that. I have listened to Senators Ó Domhnaill and Mary Ann O'Brien. Senator Mullen said yesterday was a momentous day. He made a comparison with the setting up of the ESB, which was crazy and off the chart.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: We have an opportunity on Committee Stage here. While some Senators, who have spoken at length about the importance of not privatising Irish Water, with which I agree completely, had an opportunity to reject the Bill yesterday, unfortunately, for whatever reason they decided not to. There is now a real opportunity to tie into the legislation the absolute necessity for a referendum. A...
- Seanad: Sitting Arrangements: Motion (19 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: I ask the Leader, at this late stage, to agree to have an Order of Business on Monday.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: The Senator should get the compliments in quickly, before the Minister leaves.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)
Darragh O'Brien: Hear, hear.