Results 18,481-18,500 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I move amendment No. 36:In page 12, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following:"(3) The Minister may request the Minister for Finance to make payments up to a total amount of €460,000,000 to local authorities for the purpose of repaying any Housing Finance Agency water related loans under section 5 of the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 held by local authorities. The Minster for...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: That is fair enough.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Workers need to be protected. These are technical amendments relating to their pension schemes and I ask for the co-operation of the House to support them.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: It is a negligible number. I have some figures here and will read them into the record.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I appreciate that Members have accepted that this section is quite technical and that it attempts to ensure everybody is protected. Everybody has a legal contract of employment and all income is pensionable. There are issues relating to the performance model and for that reason I have stated publicly that the issue must and will be dealt with quickly. It cannot remain an ongoing issue....

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I accept that there are many politically contentious issues in this Bill. This should not be one of them. We can talk about the bonus culture and other such matters, but this concerns issues related to people's pensions and workers. I would not accuse anyone in the House of not wanting to do the right thing. This section is about ensuring that everyone is protected and deals with a number...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I move amendment No. 32:In page 11, line 10, after “authority” to insert “or the Local Government Management Agency”.Amendment No. 32 is to provide for staff of the Local Government Management Agency who have been appointed as employees by Irish Water. These staff are members of the local government superannuation scheme and are treated as local authority staff...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Section 8(2) states:The Commission shall not provide the dispute resolution service where the complaint— (a) is or has been the subject of legal proceedings before a court, (b) is made after the expiration of 6 years from the date on which the cause of the complaint is alleged to have occurred, (c) relates to a matter that does not concern the functions or objectives of the...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: That is the critical point. Anyone can make a complaint to Irish Water. However, to avail of the statutory process for dispute resolution which is being put in place through this Bill a person must be registered.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Of course, this does not take away the fact that anyone can go through the legal process of the courts, if they so wish. I might also point out-----

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I am concluding. Several Deputies have raised various issues relating to Irish Water. Irish Water has an operational call centre and there is an operational line for Members as well. Irish Water representatives have been present in Leinster House every week lately. The company is handling up to 4,500 calls on operational issues per week. I am keen to put that on record as well as the...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I was referring to Irish Water.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I just said that.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Yes, to Irish Water.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Yes, to Irish Water.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank Members for their contributions. The amendment proposes to delete the requirement that a person be registered as a customer with Irish Water in order to be entitled to make a complaint against Irish Water. I do not believe this is appropriate since section 8(4) requires that a person must have exhausted any dispute resolution mechanism provided by Irish Water. It is important to...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Yes, Bord Gáis.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: What has that got to do with it?

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: What has the dispute with my neighbour got to do with it?

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Deputy might note the outcome of that case.