Results 2,941-2,960 of 5,683 for speaker:Thomas Gould

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Defence Forces (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: 90. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of pay negotiations for the Defence Forces. [34158/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: 184. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will request the National Transport Authority to add a stop to the 203-bus route in Cork at the Dominican centre on John Street where there is an existing bus stop. [48024/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I thank the witnesses for coming in and I have listened with interest so far. To be honest, I am concerned by some of the comments made. On the 58 additional failures we had in 2021, and I am aware of the comment regarding finishing the year strongly, these were serious failures. As Irish people, we have pride in how green the grass is and how clean the water is. This is one of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: Is one of the reasons we are having so many issues the decades of underinvestment in water services nationally and then Irish Water taking over? I am a Deputy from Cork North-Central and we are losing 50% of our water every day. We take water from the Lee and we are pumping it up into the Lee waterworks. I remember one time in Cork when we had no water for nearly ten days because of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: Dr. Ryan referred to another couple of decades of investment, but we have commitments and targets to reach. I refer to a situation where we are looking at decades to achieve them. We have a case against us now in this regard. Will we be looking at multiple cases being taken against us for failure to hit our targets in this regard?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: My questioning is intended to get information from the witnesses and it is not directed at them personally. I respect the work they do and I thank them for being here. To have an acknowledgement now, however, that it looks like we will have multiple cases taken against for breaches in respect of not reaching targets is an indictment in this regard. Irish Water is now carrying the can for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: Regarding the EPA's interaction with Irish Water and these priorities, is it felt that Irish Water is taking on board everything the EPA is communicating to it? The witnesses from the HSE might comment on this aspect as well. Is Irish Water taking on board the seriousness of the issues being raised and the priorities being set out?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I am sorry to interrupt, but so do I and I do not feel like I am making any headway in my interactions. This is how I feel as a Deputy raising local issues with the company. I will not discuss those here now because we are looking at this issue on the broader scale. Sometimes, however, I get very frustrated when I am dealing with Irish Water. I do not feel it is listening. Do the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: If there is more time in a minute, I will come back in or I can come in now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I am looking forward to that. I have two points. I am not sure if Mr. Byrne made the point earlier in relation to Cork. My ears pricked up when he spoke. I have huge concerns about the amount of lead piping in Cork city. Cork is a very old city, especially the city centre. We are losing 50% of our water. How much of the old pipe system is lead? Will the HSE or the EPA comment on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: And in relation to lead piping and the health implications?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: Can I hear from the HSE about lead piping in the city?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I thank our guests for being here today. I have a number of questions for Irish Water, following on from our engagement with the EPA and the HSE earlier. There are serious implications from the court case that is being taken against us, and possible future court cases that will be taken, because of our failure to meet the targets that have been set out. It was mentioned in the introduction...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: Did Mr. Gleeson say earlier we are looking at 2030 to reach the targets?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: Commentary was made on plants. I would take from what was said that a number of plants are not fit for purpose, especially in the wintertime. It was said they operate well in the summertime but that there are issues in the winter. How many plants are we looking at? Were they badly designed, are they just old or is it down to underinvestment over the years? Why are those plants in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: Were some of those plants built within the past ten years?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: These are historical issues then. That was probably the design at the time-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: -----and it is after moving on now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I will go back to the figure of 560,000 people being affected and 243,000 people having ongoing problems. Those are huge figures given the size of the country and our population. Is a figure of 500,000 people being affected a damning indictment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I touched on water quality earlier. I am coming at it from a Cork point of view but it is a national issue when you are dealing with lead pipes. I am not sure if any of the witnesses were involved but I had a number of meetings with Irish Water as a Deputy and when I was a councillor on Cork City Council about the plan in place to reduce the use of lead piping. Unfortunately, I have never...