Results 281-300 of 5,132 for speaker:Trevor Ó Clochartaigh

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: Tá súil agam go mbeidh saol fada ag an Aire atá againn faoi láthair. Tuigeann sé an phointe atá á dhéanamh agam. Sílim nach bhfuil gá leis an alt seo sa Bhille. Tá sé ag fágáil rudaí i bhfad ró-oscailte. Má tá rudaí breise le cur le hAcht, ba chóir go dtiocfadh an Acht sin ar ais go dtí Tithe an Oireachtais - an Seanad agus an Dáil - ionas go mbeimid in ann na rudaí...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I worry about the promises made by the Government, in particular the pre-election promises.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: If the Minister wants to go that far, let us talk about some of the pre-election promises that have been made and reneged on. We will not bring that into the debate. It is important that the Minister reconsiders his decision and supports the amendment. It leaves things far too wide open in terms of responsibility and if changes to the Bill are to be made their implications should be...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I agree with Senator Landy that this has been a very good debate and the clarification is very useful. It seems that the Government representatives create more questions than answers. I seek clarification on the Minister's statement that all houses are covered under the information to be gathered in respect of this amendment.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: It relates to one of the amendments we put forward which were ruled out of order. The Bill as it stands refers to domestic wastewater systems. I ask the Minister to clarify the information that will be gathered on these registration forms. What is classified as a domestic wastewater system? The definition being used in the Bill might be a tad loose. The debate in the media and in the...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I am just asking for clarification.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I am making a very valid point and I wanted to raise it. I am being quite honest.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: They are domestic and they have wastewater-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I am not sure. The question is whether a group scheme-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: In fairness, I am talking about the interpretation that could be taken from a domestic wastewater system-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: Could it be misconstrued?

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: For example, the Minister said earlier it would be good to encourage group schemes where a number of houses come together. Is that a domestic wastewater system or is it a group scheme? What is the difference? Does there need to be a little more thought applied to the definition of a domestic wastewater system? I ask these questions because I do not wish to-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: My question is about the information to be gathered. I would imagine that one of the questions on this prescribed form would be whether a person's house was connected to a domestic wastewater system, to a group scheme or to a local authority scheme. What is the difference? I accept the bona fides of the Minister if he tells me it is not intended that anybody on a local authority scheme...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: In fairness to Senator Landy, a septic tank is only mentioned in one or two places in the Bill. The references in this Bill are to a "domestic wastewater system". This is why I raise the issue. I will find the reference for Senator Landy later. It is important to clarify this specific issue. Is the Minister completely certain that he is not referring to every house, all houses, in this...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I thank the Minister for the clarification he has given regarding houses. He said that individual houses, rather than public authority or group scheme houses, will not be connected. In fairness, that is not written into the Bill. The definition of "domestic waste water treatment system" in the Bill is "a system involving physical, chemical, biological or thermal processes, or a combination...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: The definition includes "all septic tanks and waste water tanks and systems receiving, storing, treating or disposing of domestic waste water and all drains associated with such tanks or systems". It is clear.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: The Bill says that it is a "system".

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: It includes "waste water tanks and systems". Is a public scheme not a system of some sort that takes away domestic waste?

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: This is the point I am trying to make. In fairness, I honestly feel this is a serious issue. It needs to be examined by the Bills Office. I believe the potential exists for the definition to be misconstrued. It could be argued that it covers all houses, as has been mentioned. I appreciate that Senator Landy was talking about houses connected to septic tanks. I do not think that is what...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: That may well be, but it is not the case that it could be misconstrued nonetheless?