Results 6,081-6,100 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2013: Order for Committee Stage (24 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move: "That Committee Stage be taken now."

Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I appreciate the Deputy's fundamental point that a full debate must take place in the Oireachtas when issues of this nature arise. The difficulty, however, is that this is an international agreement among the countries concerned that has come before the Oireachtas for ratification. The House cannot change the contents of the agreement. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, has given a...

Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: While I am not the Minister for Finance, I believe such a commitment is implicit in the text. I would be pleased to give a commitment to hold a full debate. What would be the point of the Oireachtas is such important issues were not debated? My strong personal view is that a full debate would be necessary as a full debate is required under the Constitution. There is no point in having a...

Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The House has heard the Deputy's argument before. I am pleased that the vast majority of Irish people and Members of the Oireachtas support the legislation on the basis that it will ensure Greece can meet the new and significant obligations the changes place on its economy. While these changes are having a significant impact, they also allow Greece to remain in the euro, thereby...

Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Look what happened to poor Charlie.

Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: We will just call it Leitrim.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The debate in the House has been first class in terms of its standard and the issues which have been raised. It is very welcome for the Department to listen to the important points which have been raised. The debate affirms the importance of the Seanad. Perhaps six minutes' speaking time was far too much for many Members who will spend a bit longer on the legislation on Committee Stage....

Death of Garda Adrian Donohoe: Expressions of Sympathy (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Ba mhaith liom comhbhron ó chroí ar shon mhuintir Chontae Lú a ghabháil do chlann Adrian. Dúnmharú uafásach é seo a tharla i gContae Lú agus is méala mór a bhás dá chlann go léir agus don tír ar fad. Beidh cuimhne go deo air. On behalf of all the people of County Louth I would like to offer my sympathy as a...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I wish to apologise to the House for my absence earlier and thank Members for enabling me to go to the Dáil, where tributes were paid to Garda Adrian Donohoe. I thank Senators from both sides for agreeing to that because it was important for me, as a Member of the Oireachtas for County Louth, to be there. At the heart of all of this - notwithstanding Senator Cullinane's point about poverty...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is being done.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I want to reiterate that all issues in relation to low-income households, poverty proofing and the many other important matters raised by Senator Cullinane, will be taken into consideration in terms of this process. In addition, there will be transparency in that regard. The charges when decided on and announced will be open to full debate. This will only work if it is fair and seen to be...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Senators for their contributions. To cut to the heart of this matter, this job is too difficult for individual local authorities to deal with it. The rate of unaccounted for water in different counties, taking the examples of Fingal and the greater Dublin area, is approximately 23% to 24%. In counties Roscommon, Kerry, Cork and other such counties the rate is in the high 50%...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: He is a good Tipperary man-----

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: -----from north Tipperary. The Members have a Tipperary-born Minister before them for his sins. I had no control over that and I cannot get any votes down there. There is a real tangible connection with what is happening in Irish Water directly back down through local government. If the chief executive of Irish Water has worked body and soul in local government, his appointment is a...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Senator should read the Bill. It is clear.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: An independent subsidiary.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: There is no intention to privatise water services. The investment in this sector is key to our strategic interests and the legislation restates the existing prohibition on the privatisation of water assets. Legislation provides that one cannot own a public water asset. Internationally, publicly owned utilities are the norm in the water sector. Revenue generated by Irish Water will be...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I repeat, district metering is already in place. If Senator Cullinane wishes to give me some correspondence on the point he makes, I would be happy to read it. The Government has approved the Bill containing both names. Absolutely nothing would prevent the company from using the Irish title. I would concur with the Senator's view. We speak not of "board horse" but of Bord na gCapall, not...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I did not dismiss it.