Results 1,061-1,080 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Address by Dr. Mary Robinson (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Senator Cullinane is looking better for it.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: My colleague, Deputy Brian Ó Domhnaill, has covered many of our objections to this element of the Bill. The Bill itself is objectionable. In his water services programme as part of the capital review the Minister has allocated €1.6 billion of taxpayers' money towards improving water and wastewater treatment, which is welcome. I put it to the Minister's colleague, Deputy Howlin, and I...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: There is one free inspection and anything that happens after that-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: We will come to that.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the remediation work that will be required. That is a grave concern. There is no indication that regarding any of the remediation works that would be required the cost could be borne fully by the home owner but people in my area in rural north County Dublin will be charged for having their septic tank. They will not be charged for inspections, as the Minister stated, but they...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: He should pull it-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: -----and I hope my constituency colleague, the deputy leader of the Minister's party, the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, has asked him to pull it. Has he done that? I doubt it.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I did talk to the Minister, Deputy Howlin-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: -----and I got a better answer from the Minister, Deputy Howlin, than I have been able to get from the Minister, Deputy Reilly, but that is another day's work. I have not got any answers from the Minister, Deputy Reilly. If the Minister's Department proceeds with its plans, and I refer specifically to north County Dublin, hundreds of home owners will be charged to have a septic tank while...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I want to tell the Minister about this because what he is describing in this section is how these people will be prosecuted. I am concerned about my neighbours who could very well be prosecuted under this legislation if this section is allowed stand and their quality of life diminished. I am telling the Minister where he could save a great deal of money, time and effort. He would be able...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Okay. If the Government is asking us-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: No. This section relates to prosecutions.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, the amendment is on prosecutions.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: That is not a point of order.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I am trying to ascertain information from the Minister. The Government wants to pass this Bill which is setting in law a series of prosecutions that, as Senator Ó Domhnaill said also, refers to other information as the agency may determine from time to time. We do not know the parameters or what the prosecutions will be in that regard and we are expected to pass this legislation that will...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: -----in that area. I am not straying from the amendments. I am asking the Minister-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: It is wide.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: It appears to me to be wide.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I am just trying to be helpful to the Minister. The Minister might comment on that with regard to-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I look forward to that.