Results 1,641-1,660 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: This would leave us 80% dependent on imports. Do people think the State should gamble as much as €20 million of taxpayer's money per well at odds of over 30:1? The remaining option left to the State is to license the private sector to undertake this risk and accrue the associated reward after a 25% tax take. The rationale behind the current terms is to encourage exploration in Irish waters....

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: That would ensure that Deputy Broughan's choice would be the first option, to leave them in the ground.

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I have stated previously, and will continue to state, that if the situation changes and Ireland emerges as a potentially productive area like Norway or the North Sea where there are some 7,000 wells, the Government will not hesitate to introduce terms which secure a higher take for the Irish people. Deputies will have an opportunity to make statements on the Corrib issue. I look forward to a...

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I am disappointed that, with one or two notable exceptions, I have not heard anything more novel, positive or helpful this evening than I did when the Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources spent over three hours discussing this matter last week. The situation in County Mayo will not be resolved by people rehashing lies and untruths in the manner we have heard again today.

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: This debate has suggested to me that part of the difficulty we have in this regard is that certain people do a great deal of talking but very little listening. I would like to respond to some of the serious issues which were raised. Deputy Kenny asked whether the environmental issues will be dealt with under supervised access. I mentioned earlier that the matter has been taken in hand today....

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I stated clearly at last week's meeting of the joint committee that we will be price-takers in respect of gas, regardless of whether it comes from the Corrib field, Russia, Algeria or the North Sea. If we have an indigenous gas supply, there will be fewer constraints and a greater security of supply. We will not have to pay the additional transport costs which we would have to pay in respect...

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: It can and will work at a very low pressure over a period. It will generally operate at 135 bar pressure. However, after three or four years, a plateau will be reached and the pressure will begin to drop. Eventually, a suction process will be used to get gas out of the well. The Deputy asked about the variation of the pipeline route. If this is required, it will depend on a number of factors,...

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: That is precisely the point I am making.

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: The Labour Party which had a Minister of State in the relevant Department never even opened the file. It was not the slightest bit interested in the terms and conditions, yet now it has a big ideological hang-up about them.

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: The Labour Party did not even have the interest——

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: I do not need a point of information. The Labour Party Minister of State never even looked at the file.

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: As I come from County Meath, I know what your——

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: We all know what Deputy Broughan's colleague, former Deputy Justin Keating, did in regard to mines and minerals, and who got a lot of money from them. The Deputy should not lecture me.

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: No, he gave £9 million to private individuals and we got nothing from it. Deputy Broughan should not lecture me. During the debate I heard the repetition of the argument from Deputy Sargent and probably Deputy Broughan that Mr. Ray Burke changed the terms and conditions in 1987 at a secret meeting without civil servants being present. The civil servants who dealt with these matters at the...

Corrib Gas Field: Statements. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: That will form part of the review. I have reopened that question through the current review. I await the expert advice on this and related issues in regard to the general safety of the pipeline.

Report of Comptroller and Auditor General: Motion. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: It is true to say the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General serves different functions for the Government and the Opposition. For the Opposition, it presents an opportunity to jump up and down and start blaming individual Ministers for every flaw in our system. This is all very predictable and petty and proves the square root of nothing.

Report of Comptroller and Auditor General: Motion. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: For the Government, the report proves that the vast majority of projects that are transforming the nation have been undertaken professionally and cost-effectively. As my colleague said, it also directs us to areas that require more rigorous attention. The Government has presided over an era of unprecedented growth. The Opposition has obviously no experience of this kind of growth. It is more...

Report of Comptroller and Auditor General: Motion. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: An inexperienced Opposition does this all the time. However, it is a little more difficult to move from data to analysis and this is where the problem lies——

Report of Comptroller and Auditor General: Motion. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: It is more challenging to take that extra step from analysis to ensuring that the bad practice is eliminated. The Government faces up to the more challenging process every day which has radically improved many things——

Report of Comptroller and Auditor General: Motion. (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Dempsey: If the Government adopted the "data to blame" route every time there was an air crash or a near miss, the pilot or the airline would be blamed by all.