Results 2,721-2,740 of 26,396 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: I accept the logic of having a water services strategic plan and it is good that it will span a long period of 25 years. I also welcome the requirement that the plan have regard to the national spatial strategy, regional planning guidelines, river basin management plans and policy considerations in respect of housing strategies, strategic development zones and water quality plans. To what...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: No, it does not answer the question I asked about the national spatial strategy. The prompting of Senator Cummins did not deal with the issue either. On page 19 of the Bill-----

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: I am speaking to the Minister of State. We address our points to the Minister, not to another Senator, even if he is the Leader of the House.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: Section 26(5) provides that "Irish Water shall, when preparing a water services strategic plan ... ensure, as far as practicable, that the plan is consistent with ... the National Spatial Strategy". It refers to "the" national spatial strategy rather than to "a" national spatial strategy. I was not looking for the definition of what a national spatial strategy is. I was asking what...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: Senator Cummins might remember that there was no Sinn Féin councillor on the council at the time.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: I have read it.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: That does not answer the question at all. I thank Senator Cummins for his unhelpful clarification.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: It comes from Adamstown in County Wexford.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: That is done at Belview.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: I support the amendment. We have had some discussion with the Minister on this point. The section relates to the investment plans and it follows on from the water services strategic long-term plan which will be required. Irish Water will have to have regard to its strategic plan and to local authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency, regional planning guidelines and strategic...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: Not really. The amendment deals with local authority plans. My point is that this will determine the investment plan. My reading of the Bill is that the first investment plan will be after the transfer date and will be for a two-year period. Will it be yearly after that or every two years? How will that work out in terms of the investment plan?

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: I do not support these amendments, but they raise an important question about capital projects and investment plans. Perhaps I am wrong and the Minister of State might correct me, but my understanding of commercial water rates is that they pay for the full cost of water in and water out. If it is the case that domestic users must eventually pay for the full cost, will the Government...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: I might revert on the section.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: My point is that the investment plan will be predicated upon whatever Irish Water has at its disposal to invest in capital projects. I will not go over the question of how it will decide which projects get what, but will Irish Water decide how much capital investment to make annually and will it receive a subvention? According to the figures the Minister of State has provided, central...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: I am sorry but I think the Minister's response raises more questions than it answers. If the Minister does not know where this is all going in the long term, then who does? He is introducing the Bill and he is charged with having that long-term vision of how all of this will work out. It is not about having a crystal ball, it is about having a vision and a policy analysis of the long-term...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: Yes but the Minister of State's point is also that Europe is putting pressure on us to introduce water charges.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: I am not disagreeing with any of that, I am just saying that is the logic of it. Their logic is that the full cost should be passed on to what they would see as the consumer and customer. We are trying to establish if the full cost also includes capital investment. The only reason why we have any capital investment from the State at this point in time is because we do not have domestic...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: Then he might be able to answer the question.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

David Cullinane: The Minister of State did not answer the question I asked.