Results 6,421-6,440 of 7,777 for speaker:Joe Costello

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Policy Review (18 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: 545. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he will publish the White Paper on energy policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44273/14]

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: I am pleased to have the opportunity to address this very important and serious issue for all the people of this country. I have just come from a meeting with Welsh parliamentarians, who tell me the average cost of water for them is between Stg£450 and Stg£500 per household. They moved away from the old rateable system, although some 40% are still on that system, which is charged...

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: It and the DUP have put forward that budget, which will shortly be implemented. Of course, even at that stage, Northern Ireland is supported by approximately Stg£2,500 per annum per citizen from the United Kingdom. First, Sinn Féin members have no problem with funding coming from England or from the United Kingdom and, second, they are complaining that everything that is...

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: It is not a sit-down protest; it is imprisonment. That same Deputy said: "Then we decided we would let her go."

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: What does the Deputy think that is? That is detention. First, foremost and last, it is detention. Sinn Féin Members might speak to their leader, Deputy Gerry Adams, about the time he was imprisoned in the Lower Ormeau Road and how he took the British Government to court. In the same fashion, he was surrounded by the RUC and the army for a period of time and could not move in any...

Water Sector Reforms: Motion (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: I know all about it because I was present and I was a witness in the court as well. What constitutes imprisonment and what constitutes protest? Imprisonment and peaceful protest are two totally different things. The sooner Deputy Ruth Coppinger and her colleagues realise that, the better it will be for democracy in this country. Certainly anybody who has been elected to represent the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22 - Courts Service (20 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: I welcome the witnesses. I apologise for the fact that I could not be here for the substance of the discussion so I will not go over old ground.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22 - Courts Service (20 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: I am sure Deputy McDonald and others have traversed the terrain fairly effectively. The Courts Service's track record seems very good in terms of the success it has had in reducing the amount of money that is required from the Exchequer. There has been a 41% reduction between 2008 and 2014. I would say that the Comptroller and Auditor General has not come across that in too many areas.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22 - Courts Service (20 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: Touché- the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General is probably looking for an increase. I have not heard any demand from the Courts Service for an increase in its budget from the Exchequer at this point in time but it has used the fee income very successfully. I wish to mention two points. I wrote to Mr. Ryan last month about issues concerning decisions that had been made in the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22 - Courts Service (20 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: My request did not go that far back. It was only in respect of recent years. I was not looking for legacy information.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22 - Courts Service (20 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: It is important for us to get relevant information, particularly in regard to the huge problems arising with mortgages, to find out whether residential homes are being repossessed at a higher rate than previously. We can get a degree of information on this issue, but once cases go the High Court we are almost blanked, because there is no breakdown of the figures.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22 - Courts Service (20 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: Perhaps Mr. Ryan will provide a copy of the strategic plan to us. It might be valuable for us to examine it. Have all the procurement contracts been dealt with at this point in time? Are they all completed?

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (25 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: 385. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the value of products imported into Ireland from Israel benefitting from the preferential tariff under the EU-Israel Association Agreement in 2011, 2012 and 2013; the sectors that have qualified for the preferential tariff under the EU-Israel Association Agreement in 2011, 2012 and 2013; the value of products imported into Ireland that...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Housing Provision (26 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Humphreys. I welcome the investment made by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, in social housing. It is the largest investment in the history of the State and amounts to €3.8 billion. It is likely to produce in the region of 100,000 units of accommodation...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Housing Provision (26 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, has a interest in this as we represent the same constituency.

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Housing Provision (26 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I am glad that he considers the position intolerable. It is going on for six months and is likely to be seven or eight months if it continues after the Christmas period. He stated there is a meeting on Friday. I have tenants coming along to my advice centres who were moved out of their accommodation in 2006. Some tenants died in the meantime....

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: I also thought a firm decision had been taken last week as to how we would proceed and that we would do so step by step. I thought the advice we got from our own adviser was to be circulated so we would have a hard copy of it and we could study that, because we have only a short time to study it, and we have already circulated the opinion from Mr. Ryan's counsel, so we have that in hard copy...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 86 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Bord na gCon (27 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: I welcome everybody here, both from Bord na gCon and the Department. Tomorrow, I will be going to Harold's Cross for races sponsored by the local football club, St. Finbar's in Cabra. I am sponsoring the politicians' race and I hope there is no conflict of interest between my asking the witnesses a few questions and turning up at one of their racetracks.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 86 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Bord na gCon (27 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: No, I am afraid I have never indulged in training a greyhound. Harold's Cross and Shelbourne Park are very much part of the Dublin landscape and it is a very serious matter. I have carefully examined the briefing the IGB provided, the Comptroller and Auditor General's statement, which was a very strong and robust analysis of what has happened over recent years, the current situation and how...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 86 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Bord na gCon (27 Nov 2014)

Joe Costello: How can an organisation operate without a chief financial officer? When, how and why did this happen? Did the new board ask these questions?