Results 2,081-2,100 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: I thank the Cathaoirleach. That is the response of the Government to the debate on section 3.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: More tax would be paid under Sinn Féin or Fianna Fáil.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: That is the clear choice.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: This has been a most interesting debate with strong views expressed on all sides of the House. The section is about charges, and I was asked a specific question about water quality by Senator Ó Clochartaigh. If the EPA or HSE issues a boil water notice or a restriction on water no charge will apply for that water supply. The Senator also asked about district metering. Some local...
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: Children in green schools throughout the country already do much of this through incentives-----
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: They install water-saving devices in cisterns and flush systems. Eco-showers can be installed, as can rain harvesting and rain butts, with the €100. It will focus the minds of our citizens on water, which we all agree is a valuable resource. We also all agree that our water infrastructure needs investment. Many Senators on all sides of the House have said this. When one is in...
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: We will do it and I will explain how.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: We will introduce a national utility called Irish Water, built in the same way as the ESB of which we are all very proud. We are emulating a system which works. The ESB attracted off-balance-sheet investment and invested in its infrastructure and networks. It has done so for the past 15 or 20 years but I did not hear any opposition to this.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: It was quite popular. I wish to make some political points about the hypocrisy I have heard this evening. The Sinn Féin position is quite hypocritical.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: The Government has been criticised and Sinn Féin is quite entitled to do so. I have no problem with constructive debate and factual debate, and these are the facts. Several months ago the Sinn Féin leader was in full agreement with paying water charges. Suddenly he stated he will not pay and now he states he is totally opposed to water charges. This is a huge transition in a...
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: These are facts, Senator Norris, whether we like to hear them are not.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: It is also a fact that in Northern Ireland the element of water charge recognised by the UK regulator is rolled up into the council charges system. This framework will be in existence until the end of 2015. Then Sinn Féin, in power in Northern Ireland, will have to revise how it wishes to sustain the water networks. I suspect the water meters being installed will be rolling and the...
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: I am very clear.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: The Senator seems to be against it.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: I thank the Senator. For example, a single adult household with no water meter will pay a capped charge of €160 in 2015. If the water meter is installed subsequently and showed that the customer only used €100 worth of water, he or she would be entitled to claim a rebate of the difference, which would be €60. If we accept the amendment, rebates will be pushed back...
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: It is a one and one only rebate.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: The meter can only be put in once and, therefore, there will only be one rebate.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: No. They would be on metered usage and if they were using less than the capped charge, that would be measured.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: One is working off their metered usage.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
Paudie Coffey: This issue also came up in the Lower House. The Senator is confusing the water conservation grant with the Irish Water rebate.