Results 501-520 of 2,438 for speaker:Caít Keane

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Caít Keane: I did not interrupt the Senator. The Government is continuing with this progressive water programme. It outlines how this Government will ensure, as a priority, that we have safe, clean and adequate water supply that will serve this country's needs for years to come. It should have been done during the years of the Celtic tiger but instead people have boil water notices and must buy water....

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Caít Keane: I have heard lots of people say we should not charge for this and that but I have not heard one person say how we will provide the €800 million that this country needs to borrow every month for health, education and every other service. In order to keep matters off balance sheet, investment was important. Do we want the troika back? Perhaps Opposition Senators do but we do not.

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Caít Keane: That is one way of inviting them back in. The original number of meters to be installed was 450,000 but now 552,000 meters have been installed. That means Irish Water has surpassed the projected estimate for meters. Let us remember that installation staff had to work in very difficult circumstances. They were stopped on occasion though not very often. I congratulate Irish Water on...

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Caít Keane: Lead in water was an issue when I was a member of South Dublin County Council. The problem should have been corrected ages ago. Affordability is the most important issue. The Minister has ensured improvements will be made in every statement he has made. The Government has listened and now the €100 conservation grant will help people to conserve water. There is also a €160...

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Caít Keane: There was uncertainty but now people know where they stand. I agree that people should not have been left in an uncertain position but now there is certainty. As many as 800,000 households, or 60% of the population, have registered with Irish Water and I encourage everybody to register. If one does not register, whether one is a customer or not of Irish Water, but if one has a well,...

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Caít Keane: Irish Water uses meters to ensure that it can correct leakage. As much as 49% of water in Ireland goes down the Suwannee and water meters will help to correct the situation. Meters also help people to conserve water.

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Caít Keane: Responsible citizens can undercut the cap because one can save money by looking at one's meter. I encourage people who have meters-----

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Caít Keane: Yes, one can undercut the cap. As regards the lifespan of meters, it is pie in the sky and I do not know where the idea came from. There is a guarantee given with every bit of software and hardware that is created. The company that supplies the meters will guarantee it if it goes out of action in a certain amount of time.

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Caít Keane: There are meters in England that had a 15-year guarantee but they are 25 to 30 years in existence. Households here do not have to pay the charge. The budget for the maintenance of meters exists or it will do. Every type of meter must be replaced at some stage. That has been budgeted for and it will be done. There will be no charge on the household-----

Seanad: Improving the Quality of Early Years Education: Statements (21 Jan 2015)

Caít Keane: I welcome the Minister for what I would call one of the most important debates. Prevention and early intervention for children and education is most important, as is the provision of services in this area. We all know - the Minister better than most, as a former Montessori teacher - about the absorbent mind of the child. Indeed, I was there myself. I used to go around Ireland at one stage...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Planning and Development (No. 1) Bill 2014: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jan 2015)

Caít Keane: This is interesting and I hope the Bill will reactivate construction and get more houses built. In doing that we must ensure there is social integration in development. In the past where buy-outs were possible, social integration was not done as well as it should have been. We should keep that in mind. Mr. Skehan said there is still a facility for affordable housing. I would not like to...

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

Caít Keane: It could not be done simply for the sake of it.

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

Caít Keane: Hear, hear.

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

Caít Keane: I hope they will because it has been a good economic performance.

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

Caít Keane: On the amendment, on 14 October last, the Comptroller and Auditor General issued a review of audited semi-State and State bodies. The establishment of Irish Water will not stop the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General from performing its role in auditing compliance with the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Irish Water will not get away with it....

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

Caít Keane: The Comptroller and Auditor General published his review of State and semi-State bodies in October 2014. This will not prevent his office from auditing the extent to which Irish Water is in compliance with the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The message being sent out by some Senators is that this is a free-for-all and semi-State companies can do as...

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

Caít Keane: I am on the same side as Senator Bacik. It is a dispute resolution mechanism. It is important to have dispute resolution facilities to ensure people do not always end up in court. The section states that the commission shall provide a dispute resolution service. It is between Irish Water and the customer, the intermediary being the commission, but if a customer is subject to legal...

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

Caít Keane: The commission shall issue a determination to Irish Water regarding its decision on the matter, as well as to the customer and a third party if there is one.

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

Caít Keane: I welcome wholeheartedly the establishment of the forum. It is the single most important thing for society to be able to participate. Participative democracy is what we all espouse. When we look back at what the Constitutional Convention did, we see that it led the way in ensuring that many people from all strands and sectors of society will be included in the forum. With the numbers...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Caít Keane: Is the Senator opposed to the grant?