Results 6,741-6,760 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey
- Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: ââwhen I was a young county councillor in the mid to late 1970s. I inform the Deputy of that fact because he is such a young fellow.
- Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The Deputy is looking in the wrong direction for it.
- Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I thank Deputy Broughan for his acknowledgement we have taken a step forward in respect of the matter to which amendment No. 10 relates. I do not disagree with Members regarding the levels of service that are sometimes given by telecommunications companies. I take on board Deputy Broughan's point that when customers contact companies they are transferred from Billy to Jack. Such behaviour...
- Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I do not propose to accept the amendments because the purpose of this section is solely to obtain information to formulate policies and plans to deal with emergencies and network security issues. Deputy Broughan referred to MANs and his amendment regarding the provision of information on the technical and financial performance of such networks. That is covered by way of contract between the...
- Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I will take it for the moment.
- Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I read up on it and I do not agree with it. The Deputy should proceed.
- Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The principal Act is defined in section 2 of the Bill for ease of reference. It is clear from the Long Title and Short Title of the Bill that the legislation is being amended by this Bill. Therefore, the Deputy's amendment is not necessary. Under the Interpretation Act, references to an Act include any amendments to it. The point the Deputy has made is, therefore, covered under the...
- Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The Deputy tabled this amendment following the Committee Stage debate last Wednesday. It was agreed on Committee Stage that we would recheck the point with the Attorney General and the Parliamentary Counsel. On their strong advice, I must leave the figure of 20% stand. The reason for doing so, as explained to me, is that, based on precedents and similar definitions in financial...
- Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: We examined this matter following the Committee Stage discussion. The amendment is not necessary. It would not add anything to the definition.
- Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Report Stage (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I acknowledge that while this may not be the Deputy's favourite topic, it is the one he raises most often. In this instance I do not propose to accept the amendments. Amendments Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, deal with the definition of related enactment. A related enactment, for the purposes of the Bill, includes any Act or statutory instrument under which ComReg has a function. The other...
- Electricity Generation. (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 379 together. The White Paper on energy policy commits to the completion of a comprehensive cost benefit review next year of the potential for distributed generation and the implications for the networks as a long-term alternative or supplement to the existing centralised system. My Department is working with Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI, the...
- Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: It seems to have affected Deputy Rabbitte greatly.
- Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The Deputy should stop meeting strange women. They are not good for him.
- Electricity Generation. (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 to 77, inclusive, together. The White Paper on energy policy explicitly confirms the Government's position that the electricity and gas networks, as strategic national assets, will remain in State ownership and will never be privatised. As the networks are strategic national assets and will never be privatised, the Government has decided to transfer...
- Electricity Generation. (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: There is no question of privatisation of the ESB's assets, as is made clear in two, if not three, different places in the White Paper. As far as we are concerned, it is not an issue. It is explicitly stated that privatisation of the ESB or its assets is not on the Government's agenda. We are discussing a transfer of assets from a State company to a semi-State company. EirGrid is the...
- Electricity Generation. (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: The transfer of the ESB transmission asset will also involve the transfer of a portion of the debt. Obviously, the level of debt that will be transferred has yet to be worked out.
- Electricity Generation. (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: There will be no negative effect on the ESB's overall creditworthiness. The spin that came from somewhere last night appeared in the newspapers this morning.
- Electricity Generation. (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: Those who are opposed to this measure, as well as other proposals in the Green Paper which will reduce costs, benefit consumers and make the economy much more competitive, are engaging in scaremongering. A portion of the debt will be transferred with the asset. I had a discussion with the unions yesterday about the number of workers who would be affected by this change. Over the last eight...
- Electricity Generation. (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: Perhaps the chief executive should mention that number publicly so it can be properly dealt with. I will not accept a third-hand version of what the chief executive is supposed to have said. Rather than getting Deputy Broughan to quote such a figure, he should say it himself.
- Electricity Generation. (27 Mar 2007)
Noel Dempsey: He is an absolutely outstanding chief executive.