Results 2,461-2,480 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Leaders' Questions (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Deputy McDonald has gone AWOL.

Order of Business (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: It is to get the factual information.

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: No solutions.

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Let us hear them.

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Let us hear them.

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Pointing the finger will not get Deputy McGuinness anywhere either.

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: It is difficult to take lectures from Deputy McGuinness.

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank all Members who contributed to this debate during the course of this week. The debate has been robust, comprehensive and informative. The appearance of the Commission for Energy Regulation before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht yesterday also provided meaningful engagement and an opportunity for Members of the House to understand the...

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: It is all there to be seen. There has been a shared concern during the course of the debate this week to ensure we have significant investment in the water services infrastructure. 1 o’clock That is now happening because we have created Irish Water as a public utility with a capacity to access off-balance sheet funding in the future. Contrary to assertions last night, investment...

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: -----we would welcome some positive engagement on how to improve the water service and the utilities required to deliver for all citizens. However, we do not hear that. We hear that everything is a problem but we do not get any solutions. I remind Fianna Fáil Members opposite that they signed up for water charges with the troika. They have obviously forgotten that. They are...

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Fianna Fáil also considered charging people €400 per annum for water.

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Deputies raised several issues on which they were contacted by members of the public during the registration campaign, in particular relating to PPS numbers. It is considered normal to require PPS numbers in any interaction with the State where entitlements or allowances are claimed. I remind Deputies that it is incumbent on Irish Water to appropriately manage the provision of free...

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: -----in exchange for the best legal advice, but when the penalties were imposed those same Deputies deserted the public.

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: The Government acknowledges the need for improved customer engagement and communications by Irish Water. My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, had a very constructive engagement with Irish Water yesterday-----

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: -----following which we expect to see improvements in that regard very shortly.

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Paudie Coffey: The Deputy's party opposed the ESB when the State was formed.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Register of Electors (4 Nov 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank Senator Zappone for raising this important issue which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly. Voter registration is an important and fundamental part of our electoral processes and the annual register is prepared at this time of year. I welcome the effort of civil society, as outlined by the Senator. It is important that all sectors in society engage with the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Register of Electors (4 Nov 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Senator. I reiterate that, by law, the local authorities are the responsible authorities for voter registration. I am sure the Senator's experience is the same as mine in that some local authorities are better than others in this regard. I call on local authorities to use the resources available to them to ensure in so far as possible there is awareness about voter registration...

Topical Issue Debate: Wind Energy Guidelines (11 Nov 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank both Deputies for raising this important matter and for the opportunity to outline the progress to date on the ongoing focused review of the 2006 wind energy development guidelines. The Minister and I are precluded, under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, from exercising any power or control in respect of any individual planning application or appeal with which a...

Topical Issue Debate: Wind Energy Guidelines (11 Nov 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I appreciate that the Deputies have serous concerns regarding the purposed project but I reiterate that it is the intention of the Minister and I to publish new guidelines as soon as possible. It is my understanding that the existing guidelines apply to current planning applications but I will clarify that for them. I must re-emphasise that the Minister, Deputy Kelly, and I are statutorily...