Results 2,681-2,700 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I am very clear.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: This has been a most interesting debate with strong views expressed on all sides of the House. The section is about charges, and I was asked a specific question about water quality by Senator Ó Clochartaigh. If the EPA or HSE issues a boil water notice or a restriction on water no charge will apply for that water supply. The Senator also asked about district metering. Some local...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Children in green schools throughout the country already do much of this through incentives-----

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: They install water-saving devices in cisterns and flush systems. Eco-showers can be installed, as can rain harvesting and rain butts, with the €100. It will focus the minds of our citizens on water, which we all agree is a valuable resource. We also all agree that our water infrastructure needs investment. Many Senators on all sides of the House have said this. When one is in...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: We will do it and I will explain how.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: We will introduce a national utility called Irish Water, built in the same way as the ESB of which we are all very proud. We are emulating a system which works. The ESB attracted off-balance-sheet investment and invested in its infrastructure and networks. It has done so for the past 15 or 20 years but I did not hear any opposition to this.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: It was quite popular. I wish to make some political points about the hypocrisy I have heard this evening. The Sinn Féin position is quite hypocritical.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: The Government has been criticised and Sinn Féin is quite entitled to do so. I have no problem with constructive debate and factual debate, and these are the facts. Several months ago the Sinn Féin leader was in full agreement with paying water charges. Suddenly he stated he will not pay and now he states he is totally opposed to water charges. This is a huge transition in a...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: These are facts, Senator Norris, whether we like to hear them are not.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: It is also a fact that in Northern Ireland the element of water charge recognised by the UK regulator is rolled up into the council charges system. This framework will be in existence until the end of 2015. Then Sinn Féin, in power in Northern Ireland, will have to revise how it wishes to sustain the water networks. I suspect the water meters being installed will be rolling and the...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Do we want to see cryptosporidium in our water? It was in the water supply of my home town in 2004. Children cannot drink such water or have a bath.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: It is a terrible indictment of a water system that has failed our country and people.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I listened to Senator Ó Clochartaigh from Galway and cryptosporidium almost closed down Galway city and the tourism industry there a number of years ago, when restaurants could not serve water or cook with the water coming through the taps. We must all stand up to address this issue and be responsible in how we approach it. Future generations will not thank this Government or the...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I have said much and outlined our solutions. The Sinn Féin solution is to raise taxes and put more on the working people of this country. We want to keep taxes low and raise the money off balance sheet. We are telling the Seanad how this will be done. Sinn Féin Senators are speaking out of both sides of their mouth, unfortunately. They will be found out; that may not be now but...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: The party will be found out.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I will stand in any election. I take my responsibility seriously and I will not go away. I will come back again and demonstrate that we have been proven right.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Cathaoirleach. That is the response of the Government to the debate on section 3.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: More tax would be paid under Sinn Féin or Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: That is the clear choice.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Paudie Coffey: We have debated this section quite considerably. I have outlined what is a sustainable model that will attract investment in our Irish water system and infrastructure, which we all agree is a vital resource. I repeat that we have put our cards on the table in respect of how we intend to establish it, how it will work and how we will fund it. It is essential that any Government shows...