Results 1,281-1,300 of 7,604 for speaker:James Bannon

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: I am pleased the Government is taking full responsibility for this matter under paragraph (a) where there is likely to be a risk to human health. In the past, asbestos piping was used to distribute water along public roads, and the Government is taking full responsibility for the asbestos piping throughout the country. It is important for the Minister of State to carry out an audit of the...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: There is an onus on the Government to provide funding to upgrade to health and safety standards of group water schemes where asbestos piping was installed in the past.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: This is a serious matter and we are all aware of the dangers of asbestos. Will the Minister of State give a guarantee that the mains water piping installed in the past throughout the country will not pose a risk to human health? I would like clarity on the issue because communities are concerned that some mains which were put in place in the 1960s and early 1970s included asbestos piping...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 117: In page 62, subsection (7), line 47, after "or" to insert "at any time". Amendment No. 117 is a technical amendment to clarify the second part of section 63(7). The purpose of amendment No. 118 is to take into account circumstances where there might be intermittent or negligible use, or all but total abandonment of a licence. The amendment seeks to avoid a situation...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: The Minister of State has again replaced my amendment with a Government amendment. I wished to insert the words "in whole or part" after the word "appeal" in section 67(2). As the Minister of State said earlier, subsection (2) as drafted appears to limit the power of An Bord Pleanála to refuse an appeal. There does not appear to be any middle ground. My amendment simply proposes to clarify...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 132: In page 68, subsection (2), lines 42 and 43, to delete all words from and including ", and" in line 42 down to and including "facilities" in line 43. The Minister of State may want to call my bluff on this one. He said earlier that he did not know where we stood on water charges and charges of various kinds. The Government got its answer in the recent local and...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: We discovered from the electorate that there was double that number of broken promises. We are opposed to the imposition of charges on the use of water in all contexts.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 141: In page 70, subsection (1), line 23, after "unoccupied" to insert "or comprises of a rented dwelling,". It is grossly unfair to impose this burden on the tenants of a rented house. It should clearly be the duty of the landlord to ensure that this section be complied with. One simply cannot impose the responsibilities of an owner on the occupier of a rented property....

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: Why is the Minister of State imposing meters on connections if he does not intend to charge at a future date? A meter is there to gauge the supply of water that is delivered to particular users and the provision of meters introduces the intent of charges. It is evident from what the Minister of State has said that he intends to instruct group and regional water scheme committees and local...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: I am somewhat concerned at the Minister of State's comments. I wonder whether he has checked with all local authorities. Some local authorities are insisting that meters be installed on all newly constructed group water schemes. I understand also there is a directive from the Department in this regard before grants are drawn down. I would like greater clarity on this because meters are being...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 154: In page 72, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following subsection: "(2) Meters or the data taken or read from them shall not be used for the purpose of calculating or imposing a charge on the end user.". I am proposing this amendment because it is clear the Minister intends to introduce metering and charging for water. This is evident and the Minister of State...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: Will the water services authority be financed by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government? Will it have to raise its own funds? Will it have to raise money by charging for water services? I ask the Minister of State to elaborate. I am somewhat concerned that it will impose charges if it wants funding. It is unrealistic that the groups availing of the authority's...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: How will the water services authority be funded? It is a simple question.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: The Minister of State is probably aware that there are huge shortfalls in funding to various local authorities throughout the country. Nine sewerage schemes for County Longford which have been approved are waiting for funding from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. It is a small county with a population of just 31,000 people. A further six or seven schemes have...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: The Minister of State spoke about funding. Local authorities imposed development charges before their most recent AGMs and in the run-up to their last finance meetings. Members of the Minister of State's party throughout the country are angry about the imposition of the development charges, which were intended as a means of making up for the shortfall in local authority funding. The Minister...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 163: In page 87, subsection (1), line 41, after "arbitrator" to insert "whose decision shall be binding". What is the point of engaging an arbitrator if his or her decision will not be binding? We need to make it clear in the Bill that the decision of the arbitrator will be binding on all parties. That would be a necessary improvement and perhaps the Minister of State...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: The Minister of State is saying the decision of the arbitrator is binding.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 166: In page 89, subsection (1), line 24, to delete "The" and substitute "In circumstances of emergency, the". I oppose this section because it paves the way for the privatisation of Ireland's water supply. We are debating Committee Stage but in all likelihood the Bill——

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: Yes, but I also oppose the section and I wanted the opportunity to outline my reasons for that. This section paves the way for the privatisation of the water supply, and it may be used as a vehicle to introduce water charges. Section 99 effectively confers power on the Minister to amend provisions in this Bill to enable the introduction of charges. We have a major difficulty with that because...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2004)

James Bannon: This section states that legislation enacted before 1922 which may come into conflict with the Bill shall no longer have effect. Will the Minister of State inform the House what pre-1922 Acts could affect this Bill? Why is such a blind application being made in this case, as it could have unforeseen consequences? I understand the statute law revision unit of the Office of the Attorney General...