Results 2,541-2,560 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments (18 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: 614. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a rural environment protection scheme payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7586/14]

Order of Business (13 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: There are serious concerns with regard to rateable valuations and the review that is currently under way in many local authority areas. Of course, that review presents challenges for small businesses and retailers. Reform is proposed under the Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012. When will that legislation be introduced in the Dáil?

ESB (Electronic Communications Networks) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (13 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Minister and his officials for bringing the Bill before the House. I welcome the passage of the Bill. The weaknesses in the broadband infrastructure have been highlighted by Deputies on all sides of the House and it is important to note the concerns expressed by colleagues, especially those who represent rural Ireland and the regions. However, I firmly believe this legislation...

Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Deputy McDonald is one to talk about surveillance.

ESB (Electronic Communications Networks) Bill 2013: Report Stage (13 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: We discussed this issue at length on Committee Stage. I can understand the thrust of the amendment, in fairness to Fianna Fáil. There are many service providers advertising the provision of broadband at the moment, but when it is installed it is not what was understood to be the package or the service. There is an issue with the quality of broadband, the way it is advertised and the...

ESB (Electronic Communications Networks) Bill 2013: Report Stage (13 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I offer a view on this amendment and this is an matter we discussed at length on Committee Stage. While I might understand, or try to understand, from where Sinn Féin is coming on this, and I know it is ideologically opposed to privatisation and all the rest of it and that is fair enough, I cannot figure out why its members will not accept numerous reassurances from Ministers that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Does that compare well with other jurisdictions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Mention was made of an estimated €80 million in savings because of the Government decision to go down the route of engaging Bord Gáis and utilising its existing expertise, systems, protocols and understanding. How was that achieved? Could Mr. Barry give the committee a broad outline of where those savings were made?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank Mr. Barry. Other Deputies mentioned unusual situations, such as the networks at the back of houses. There is quite a lot of that. I come from Waterford where huge sections of the city have a lead network at the back of houses. There are numerous estates that have private water supplies but use the public sewers. Will all that be part of the consultation or how will Irish Water...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: For example, where an estate has a private well and its residents maintain and pay for that well to keep the water service going but use the public sewer system, how will such a scenario be captured? Perhaps that is a question for the Commission on Energy Regulation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: That leads to another couple of questions I have for the CER. Like other utilities that operate customer charters dealing with standards of supply, in the case of water, one is looking at water quality - there was mention of the Environmental Protection Agency - and water pressure. Will the CER require Irish Water to have a customer charter to reassure customers that it must maintain an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: The water pressure would be important. Many domestic showers and washing machines will not work without adequate water pressure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I would appreciate it. My last question is also to the CER. When one compares other utilities, Ireland is regional by nature. There would be concerns that in future investment plans, Irish Water would cherry-pick the urban areas. Customers and water users will all pay no matter where they live. My concern is that while there are probably well-deserved priorities for larger urban areas,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Am I correct in assuming that Irish Water will make presentations on any investment plan, whether for new infrastructure or refurbishment of infrastructure, to the CER and the commission will analyse that, ensure it constitutes value for money and approve it before proceeding?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: Would the CER's considerations include balanced regional development? Does Mr. McGowan know where I am coming from?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank Mr. McGowan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the delegates for the level of information they are providing for the joint committee. It is very helpful in the public discourse on the establishment of this national utility. My first question is to the Chairman. While Mr. Tierney made an opening statement, he also provided a more comprehensive statement for the joint committee. In the interests of public information, is it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: That is fine because the aforementioned statement contains a lot of information that sets out details of the system that has been inherited, as well as the objectives of Irish Water. It is important, from a public information perspective, that this be made clear and communicated. Consequently, I welcome it. Ultimately, this is about the customer and providing a quality and efficient...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: To follow on from that reply, my understanding is we have inherited a completelyad hocsystem that has poor data records and in which there is considerable inconsistency across the various networks, despite the fact that the local authorities were doing their best to keep the networks going. This asset management system is critical to the establishment of the utility and to the future...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (11 Feb 2014)

Paudie Coffey: 413. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a report on the success of Operation Kerbside over the past three years in combatting the problem of prostitution in an area (details supplied). [6181/14]