Results 65,481-65,500 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: He is at risk.

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: Hear, hear.

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: It could be Keynes or Galbraith.

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: They are gougers.

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister for the important briefing received from his officials and acknowledge the importance of this unique piece of North-South co-operation that will be of benefit to both parts of the island. I accept that the all-island market will be of benefit and that economies of scale, of which both sides can avail, should ensue. It is important in these situations that the ground...

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The merger of the regulators could result in job losses. Government policy in both parts of the island must direct future developments. We should not allow regulators to dictate policy. I do not suggest the Minister of State would permit such an eventuality but Ministers have been known to bob, weave, duck and disclaim responsibility in matters for which they should be responsible.

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The objective of my party in doing so was to benefit and protect the interests of domestic and industrial energy consumers. This has not always been the case. I heard people moan on radio this morning about the reasons the price of electricity should be reduced. As I indicated earlier, it is better late than never. On what basis were prices increased two months ago given that prices were...

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The way things are going he may have to retire long before then but not for the reasons the Minister of State supposes.

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I hope we will all be in the next Dáil.

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: Policy direction must remain the political responsibility of Ministers, who are responsible to their legislatures; the wisdom of any deviation from that must be questioned. It might be good to escape the responsibility, something Ministers like to do, but once the power to direct is removed from the Minister's hands, it goes to whomsoever's guess is best. I mentioned our future energy needs...

Garda Reform: Statements (Resumed) (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The Minister uses that type of phone.

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: Hear, hear.

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I am delighted to have an opportunity to speak on this important legislation. I congratulate the Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Browne, on bringing it before the House. I hope the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, is happily ensconced in Hanoi, is in no danger there and rings home on a...

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) (Single Electricity Market) Bill 2006: Second Stage (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I have heard he has been on the Tannoy.

Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund: Motion (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The poor creature, he gets blamed for everything.

Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund: Motion (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: They should be a cut above the rest for the Deputy's party.

Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund: Motion (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I am delighted to hear Deputy Fiona O'Malley expounding the virtues of the nuclear energy industry.

Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund: Motion (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: When the Government tried to secure all-party support for its energy policy earlier this year, it did not take me long to figure out what was happening. It was an attempt to promote nuclear energy as the only way to protect the environment. What an appalling scenario.

Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund: Motion (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The Deputy said in the past ten minutes there were certain things we should do, including looking again at the nuclear energy sector as a means of resolving our environmental problems, and I want to point out to her the error of her ways. I presume the first nuclear generator will be in Ringsend, or will it be in Blackrock or Wicklow? That will be an interesting debate.

Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund: Motion (30 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: At least one of the Government parties is clear and unequivocal about the issue. My remarks, however, are not necessarily a criticism of the Minister. The situation regarding emissions that he inherited could have been addressed by his Government in a series of different ways in the past five years but it failed to do so. The Kyoto Agreement has been in place for the duration of this and...