Results 8,241-8,260 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I support the amendment. It is in accord with many of our statements, particularly my statements on the independence of EirGrid. It should be independent not only in spirit but also in the letter to the extent that State control must be solidified so as not to end up in a similar position to the telecommunications sector where a monopoly exists. This is not in any way disrespectful to the...

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: We were a bit slow getting off the mark there.

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: They are the devils within.

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: Then I would have had to put up with him.

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I am a little confused, although not for the first time in my life, needless to say. It seems that perhaps the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan and Deputy Broughan are, in fact, on the same wavelength, except that they are running along parallel lines.

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: They could converge at some later stage because we are all into interconnection nowadays. Eventually those parallel lines might cross an interconnector. The Minister has confirmed that an interconnector will be built and will be State controlled. I do not have any problem with that. There might be some merit in having a second interconnector, as most people in the business believe that...

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: They have been two long minutes that will come to an end shortly. As Deputy Broughan suggested, in a totally privatised situation the transmission, as part of the grid, could be controlled by the same people, which would not necessarily be in the best interests of all concerned. The ideal is to generate competition between the public and private sectors and ensure the fundamental...

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: They would never do that.

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: Has the Minister drawn up a list of such things?

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I move amendment No. 62: In page 19, line 38, after "Commission" to insert the following: ", sanctioned by the Minister, and approved by a motion of Dáil Éireann". I wonder if the Minister would examine the possibility of taking this amendment on board. It would be a painless exercise in the sense that it would be a meeting of minds in the House. It would recognise a principle we have...

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The Minister might outline some of the circumstances he envisages whereby an interconnector might be constructed without a competitive tender. As he has hinted, I presume the ESB might be directed to build one without a competitive tender. However, years ago in the local authorities, if a particular project was going for private tender, the local authorities would tender themselves in order...

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I realise my two minutes is nearly up but I would like a little more elucidation if possible because I cannot understand how the kind of situation would arise that would require bypassing the competitive tender stage.

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I move amendment No. 65: In page 19, line 38, after "Commission" to insert the following: ", sanctioned by the Minister, and approved by a motion of Dáil Éireann".

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I move amendment No. 66: In page 20, line 40, after "Commission" to insert the following: "with the approval of the Minister and Dáil Éireann".

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I move amendment No. 69: In page 22, line 14, after "threatened" to insert ", with the approval of Dáil Éireann,". This is the old favourite triple lock system, with the approval of Dáil Éireann, which has been discussed ad nauseam for the past week with regard to this and other legislation. We are losing sight of this provision as time goes by. There are those who say it is a good...

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The Minister's memory is not as good as he thinks it is. There was not too much money left in the kitty in 1981 when his party left office. It was like Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard, only her cupboard would have been full by comparison.

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: It was because of what happened between 1977 and 1979, and the Minister well knows that. His party has been trying to get away from that every day since, but a few of the rest of us were around as well.

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I move amendment No. 77: In page 24, line 36, after "Minister," to insert "who shall report to the Oireachtas,". I apologise for my absence from the House for a few minutes. We are back on the same track of bringing the Minister and the Oireachtas into the equation. The Minister can take this on board and I will not spend too much time on it. It is not intrusive. The Minister can report...

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I concur with my colleague and the Minister. None of us wishes to exacerbate the situation. Original positions that were relatively easy to resolve have become mountains. As legislators we must encourage those involved to accept that the use of a natural resource is imperative to the nation's economy. We must address areas of common ground with the objective of achieving credibility in...

Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I move amendment No. 80: In page 25, line 19, after "necessary" to insert the following: ", provided that the Minister and the Oireachtas have been informed".