Results 5,821-5,840 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (25 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The definition of "undertaking" in the Bill includes a person, an individual, a body corporate or an unincorporated body of persons engaged for gain in the production or supply or distribution of goods or the provision of a service. If any one of those entities acts in an anti-competitive manner, the Competition Authority has to pursue them under this legislation. While I appreciate Senator...

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I could not say Deputy McGrath comes across as sane.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Which is it?

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Go back over that again for your own sake.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Absolutely not.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: This is a very important debate. We are arranging for the implementation programme to be debated by the committee as soon as it is available so that every member of the Oireachtas who wishes will have an opportunity to go through all of the issues in an open-ended way. There will be no time limit on that debate such as there is on this one. It is important to discuss the issues and answer...

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I know. My point is that in the county beside it the same volume of water costs €3.52. We need to address all of these issues and have a uniform system of charging that is acceptable to everybody. It would make no sense if water in Wicklow was twice as expensive as water in Kildare. In terms of value for money, the average cost nationally of 1,000 litres of water is €2.52. Members...

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Deputy Stanley might not like to hear the truth-----

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: No.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will be happy to respond to the Deputy later.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Sinn Féin does not like to hear the truth. Every house in Northern Ireland pays, on average, €1,400 in household charges, including all local government charges.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: While Sinn Féin supports charges in the North, in the South, they say there can be no charges for anything. The truth is that Sinn Féin cannot face both ways. They agree to charges in the North but not in the South.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Charges in the North were increased by 2.5% last year. I refer the Deputies to their own publications. There will be no privatisation of water services, as feared by many people.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The legislation will be made as strong as is possible. If Members opposite have any proposals in terms of legislation we will be happy to take on board their views. The water network will remain outside of privatisation. It is not possible under existing legislation for it to be privatised. I am assured that will not happen. People who own private wells will not be liable for water...

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I had coffee. I will have tea the next time. Workers involved in water services in my county and that of Deputy Mattie McGrath and others are top-class. There is no threat to anyone's employment. The new water service will not come into operation until 2017 at the earliest. The local authorities will work with Irish Water or Bord Uisce. It is expected that new entity will also have an...

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: No.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The charge for commercial water in the county is twice that in County Kildare.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I can say there has been a reduction of 40% in costs in Scotland over five years.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am not damaging anything.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is.