Results 3,201-3,220 of 20,765 for speaker:Alan Kelly

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

Alan Kelly: That is another question. After the past few months I am not too sure about that but we will see. Let us be honest about this matter. Do not forget that I sat here in 2008 when we debated the bank guarantee which was one of the most fundamental nights in the history of this State. I personally think the wrong decision was made and voted against it. People have put forward arguments in...

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

Alan Kelly: Coming from my philosophical beliefs, it is obviously something that has to be 100% accurate and dealt with. Working within all of the advice we can get in Government, I believe that the threshold created absolutely protects Irish Water. I also need to say to Senators that before they put a provision into the Constitution they would need to be absolutely certain it could achieve what it...

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

Alan Kelly: It was not that easy.

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

Alan Kelly: Sinn Féin voted for it in this House.

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

Alan Kelly: I did.

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

Alan Kelly: Yes. All legislation can be changed, as I told the Senator earlier.

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

Alan Kelly: I answered the Senator’s question, then, if that is the case.

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

Alan Kelly: That is arrogance.

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

Alan Kelly: The Senator might think this legislation is not worth the paper it is written on, but I do not.

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

Alan Kelly: I thank the Senators again for their contributions. First I want to deal with the amendment rather than the section, because we are on the amendment. Regarding amendment No. 1, tabled by Senator Barrett, the opening piece deals with the passing of the shares to the Minister for Finance for the dissolution of Irish Water. It sets out the resolution on a plebiscite, in section (8) it talks...

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

Alan Kelly: It is a symbol of what his party----

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

Alan Kelly: It is symbolic of where we would be if, unfortunately, Senator Cullinane's party was in government into the future----

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

Alan Kelly: I do not believe he believes the legislation they would bring in would be worth the paper it is written on.

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

Alan Kelly: It is certainly a vision into the past regarding Sinn Féin and what its views of the Houses of the Oireachtas are. There were a number of other issues raised by Senators.

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

Alan Kelly: Regarding the phrase about disposal of assets, section 31(12) of the Water Services Act 2007 prohibits the disposal of any assets. That Bill was brought in by Fianna Fáil and I think it was worthwhile. Regarding legislation changing in this Bill or any other, of course all legislation can be changed. Does that directly answer the Senator's question? I have said it four times now.

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

Alan Kelly: No, check the record. I have said it a number of times. Senator Cullinane just chose not to listen as usual. I am not going to repeat the whole thing. I outlined earlier regarding the Constitution and how we have to be very careful about putting amendments into the Constitution, about the consequences of that and the fact that Article 10 already says what it does on water. We have to be...

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

Alan Kelly: -----that there will be no consequences, constitutional issues or major legal issues down the road as a result?

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

Alan Kelly: In this case, we do not even know whether we are taking about water, water services or water plus something else. Are we talking about Irish Water or what?

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

Alan Kelly: I have already referred to the fact that we really need to reconsider the matter. There are serious issues, potentially, in respect of what we are trying to protect through a constitutional amendment and in respect of property rights, joint ownership of infrastructure and infrastructure that is privately owned.

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

Alan Kelly: Serious issues arise, and they are complicated.