Results 1,681-1,700 of 1,954 for speaker:John Gilroy

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: Good man. The word is "ultracrepidarian". The amendment is ostensibly decent enough but I do not think it is necessary. Surely everyone in the country is a householder or commercial user. While there is no reason we should not also specify trade union members, should we not also say that members of other representative groups have an equal claim to membership? I do not think we need to...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: It is difficult to know how one can approve something in principle and object to it in practice, but we have had that from the Opposition all week. Some speakers have criticised the composition of the forum. The Minister will have powers to provide by regulation for the membership and composition of the forum. It is difficult to see how Sinn Féin could be opposed to the forum carrying...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: It is absolutely relevant to the amendment.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: The amendment deals with the functions of the forum.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: That is what the amendment states but my comments are absolutely relevant. That is why I argue that the amendment is unnecessary.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: We will be all right, Senator. We will be grand.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: It does not look like it.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: It looks like the Opposition Senators are making it up as they go along.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: Amendment No. 23 certainly makes sense at some level and it provides us with an opportunity to explore some of the issues it addresses. In terms of efficiency, it certainly makes sense because it seems to provide that Irish Water would issue timely public health notices. Senator Ó Clochartaigh has very direct experience of difficulties with the supply of drinking water in Galway and...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: Are there any beagle dogs living there?

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: They have not banned it.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: Senator O'Brien is right to say the amendment is specific to a review of the use of fluoride and that we should not open up the entire debate and make it about the use of fluoride. However, Senator Naughton is also right in that the issue of fluoride presents a challenging environment in which to make any argument, but that if there is any evidence to suggest that fluoride harms public...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: If there is evidence to suggest it is doing harm to the public, perhaps its use should be reviewed. However, there is no evidence to that effect, despite the fact we have been putting fluoride into water for the past 40 years. If it was doing harm, that would certainly have come to light. Senator Mullins is incorrect to say the rest of Europe has banned fluoride. It is not banned, they...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: No, they have not. They have not brought in laws to ban it. To ban something, a legislative change must be made.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: Correct. That is the point made by Senator O'Brien and I agree with him. However, to ignore the lack of evidence and to make the forum a place to discuss an issue for which there is no evidence to support it, elevates the argument to something it is not. There is no evidence. The Irish Dental Association, the World Health Organization and the expert body have all said that -----

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: God rest her, she would say that. What vested interest has the expert panel on fluoridation got? It has none.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: To suggest that because I say this, I am wrong, points to the lack of evidence in the Senator's argument. All our deliberations here should be based on evidential experience and empirical measurements, but we do not have any of that. To say that the Government is so concerned about the effect of fluoridation of water on health that we are prepared to put it in our legislation and send it...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: The view and objective of the Government is very clearly laid out in the entire Bill, and in section 7 particularly. I suppose we could be criticised for not accepting any amendments to section 7 but to accept an amendment would be to put something into the Bill which is not the intention of the Government. We have had a very good debate on all the points and amendments that were raised,...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: That is unfair of Senator Norris. The Minister has gone to great lengths to assuage many of the fears - and the whole House has acknowledged that - during the contribution on section 7. I commend the Minister for that.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

John Gilroy: The point I am making is that to accept an amendment as they are comprised here in section 7, would be to introduce something that is not the intent of the Government.