Results 2,761-2,780 of 5,550 for speaker:Martin Ferris

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: If the Minister knows anything more, will he please tell me?

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: I can say that we had a legal person there to go through the content of the legislation. It was done absolutely accurately. What is in the legislation is quite frightening. It is the implementation of the legislation and the standards being put forward by the Minister that people are examining. That is what we need to see. I am aware of single rural cottages put in by the county councils....

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: I am absolutely certain. I know people who have upgraded their sewerage systems. I know people who got planning permission on a half acre site 20 years ago and people who got permission on the site next to it 20 years later, and they could not get percolation. I know people refused planning permission next door to those who got it, because they could not get percolation. All of these...

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: When did I say that?

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: I challenge the Minister to prove it. I never said such a thing.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: I never said such a thing.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: At no cost.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: Does the Minister know where it is?

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: Does the Minister know where the Six Counties are?

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: Absolutely. I have no problem with that. I stand over-----

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: Yes, and that the septic tanks-----

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: Is the Minister stating that there will be no charge for people if they have to do remedial work?

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: There will be no financial cost-----

Rail Network (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: There is serious concern regarding the awarding of the contract for rail maintenance to a British company, Balfour Beatty, which has also been awarded the €400 million contract for maintenance of the Bord Gáis grid. The reason for this concern, other than the fact that jobs will be lost among Irish contractors, is the company's poor safety record. Most of this record relates to incidents...

Rail Network (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I will forward the information I have to his office. I previously raised this matter in the House with the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, when I was sure all of this information was available. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, stated that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has no operational role in awarding contracts. In light of...

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: We do not know the standards.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: What about a response from the Minister?

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: He has not responded on the issue of grants for upgrading.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: I support the amendment, which was tabled in good faith. It does not do the debate justice when the Minister refers to the contents of previous documents. All of us in the Opposition are trying to do the best we can for people in rural communities.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Martin Ferris: I am part of a rural community. I grew up in a small cottage in a rural area where toilets and septic tanks were only introduced in the 1960s. I can remember when there were no toilets. Many of my neighbours' houses were built on perhaps one eighth of an acre or less. In the 1960s they put in their own makeshift septic tanks. From 1975 onwards the planning regulations were introduced...