Results 4,781-4,800 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: I will answer some of the questions asked, and respond to comments made, by Senators. People do not mind paying their water charge when they can see exactly what they are getting for it. A major reason for setting up the commission is to analyse methods of payment, how people are paying and if people can follow their charge to see how it is being spent and to build that analysis into the...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: I did not say "we". I asked if everybody in this House and in the other one, decision-makers and the public, which has an interest in this, had. I know everybody is busy but I would recommend taking some time out to read the original business case for setting up a single water utility. Let us put aside what happened after it and look at the business plan and the improvements. Then let us...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: I do not agree with the Senator. Metering is important and contracts have also been signed. The contract will be finished by August or September and the second phase is being reviewed. A decision might be made to wait and it might be best practice to do that. However, I believe that this phase should finish what was started over the next couple of months. However, we will, hopefully,...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: There were many reasons, but one of the reasons I came across was the actual fear that a meter could show that their usage would mean a bill of €1,000. This was a genuine concern, because they did not have the money and could not afford to have it. People were afraid of having a meter. That is the logic of introducing a cap on the cost of water, so that the supply would not cost...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: Let me reassure the House that Irish Water will remain in public ownership as long as this Government is in office. Given the strong views of most parties and the Independents on this issue, I would be very surprised if any future Administration adopted an alternative policy. However, people think it could be privatised tomorrow. It actually cannot and will not be. I can assure Members of...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: The Irish public has consistently espoused the notion that public water services and indeed the national utilities should remain in public ownership. The Government agrees with this. Water is an essential national resource. There is no question of putting at risk people's very access to their basic needs in terms of water services. This is why the previous Government introduced safeguards...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: The people are being consulted. What more does Senator Ó Clochartaigh want the Government to do?

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: It is subject to the people. Third, only with the approval of a majority of voters in a plebiscite, that is the people will have a choice and will decide on the proposal that both Houses of the Oireachtas could pass a resolution to privatise Irish Water or dispose of any share held by the Government. That is the truth. People should bear that in mind. Members can advocate for a referendum...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: If we are to be responsible in the Houses of the Oireachtas, we have to deal with the truth and the facts. That does not always happen in all our parties. That is not acceptable in my view. I will always try to put the facts out there. Even last week, I do not think people liked me putting out the facts on the Seanad reform Bill. It was the truth and I was stating the facts. If we are...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: I am not going there, it is a fact. The Commission in response to a recent question submitted by two Irish MEPs has stated that the current practices that apply in Ireland would mean that the Article 9(4) provision, the so-called Irish derogation, is no longer an option. Earlier this month, Deputy Coveney met the European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries to...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: It is a collective decision, there is no hiding from that. The commission is here to advise, implement and to deal with facts and truths, not opinions or ideas. It is facts, truth and choices. It will come down to choices. With every choice, there is an opportunity cost. My background is accountancy and opportunity cost can get very expensive when one goes looking for money for something...

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: It is a long time since I was last here, so I am glad to get a chance to address the House again.

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: It is all about Seanad reform. I am grateful to the Acting Chairman and to the Members of Seanad Éireann for the opportunity to speak on the resolution before us today about the proposed citizens' assembly. The resolution deals with the setting up of a citizens’ assembly. We had this debate in the Dáil during the week also. If the Members agree, I will refer to the events...

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: I will try to answer some of the questions and address the two amendments. I welcome everyone's views on this motion. That we still have time left proves that enough was set aside, but that decision was not mine. The issues picked for the assembly reflect the programme for Government and the partnership arrangement. Others can be added in due course, but the concern might be that too many...

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: No. That is-----

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: The Senator is being unfair to citizens. This is a citizens' assembly, and it will not stop Senator McDowell or any other Member from discussing the same issues. The assembly will be brought together. Most people would accept that the convention process worked and got results. Senator McDowell might not like it, but other people did. This is not all about him. He is being unfair. It is...

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: That is fine. The Senator was shaking her head. Everyone would agree it can be a complicated issue, so it would be unfair to impose a short time limit on the assembly's consideration of the eighth amendment, which will clearly need careful consideration. Nothing in the resolution states it cannot come back after a month. If the work is completed in a month the report will come here and...

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: The amendment is to remove all items apart from the eighth amendment.

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: It does not read that way in the amendment. I understand this is what the Senator said in her speech and I accept that. To be clear, climate change was added in by a Dáil decision. The other issues were picked by the partnership arrangement. Those who wanted to form a Government came together and made decisions on a range of issues and put them in a programme for Government. This...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2016: Second and Subsequent Stages (15 Jul 2016)

Damien English: The purpose of the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2016 which I am commending to the House today is to enable the register of electors to be used for selecting members of the citizens’ assembly. The provisions in the Bill are along the lines of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2012 passed by the Oireachtas when arrangements were being made for the membership of the then proposed...