Results 10,081-10,100 of 11,785 for speaker:Niall Collins

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: In the likely event the Minister's target number of houses will not be metered by 2014, what is his plan B for the project? Will he address the anomaly in the units to which he referred which cannot be metered in the short term because there is a disparity? The Minister quotes a figure of 300,000 units and the House will be aware what the executive engineer from Dublin City Council has said.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: The recent census figures on which we can rely state that apartments, bed-sits and pre-1960 buildings combined come to a figure of 503,000 units. There is a fairly large discrepancy between the figure the Minister quotes and the figure the CSO quotes. Can the Minister elaborate on his statement that the units that cannot be metered in the short term would be charged on an assessed basis?...

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: I have one more question.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: The Minister is taking Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: The Minister-----

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: Deputy Stanley has to come in. I asked about 2014-----

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: Yes.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: I asked the Minister to outline his plan B given that I am not convinced that his Department appreciates the complexity of the project being undertaken. All informed third-party commentators are of the view that the programme will not meet its deadline of the end of 2014. There is a discrepancy between the figures from the 2011 census and those contained in the PricewaterhouseCoopers...

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: It is not a question of support or otherwise. It is reasonable to ask whether there is a plan B in the event that the deadline is not met.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: That has nothing to do with it.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: There is no scaremongering. People are entitled to certainty.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: There is only more confusion.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: Deputy Stanley is making a valid point.

Household Charge (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: Question 4: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if any changes have been made to payment methods for the household charge in response to the payment rate to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22283/12]

Household Charge (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: The people who have not paid the household charge to date can be placed in one of two categories: those who have a principled objection and those with a clear inability to pay. The campaign to date lacked information. There were insufficient payment methods and there has been a series of incoherent messages from the Government about payment through An Post. Will the Minister make provision...

Household Charge (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: The figure has stopped climbing. Just over 40% have not paid and I am making the case for those who cannot pay. What is the strategy for dealing with those who can pay but refuse to pay?

Household Charge (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: Will estates that have not yet been taken in charge form part of the survey? There are many estates that have not been taken in charge that have legacy issues the local authorities are trying to address by dealing with developers. The Minister did not address the question of those who are genuinely unable to pay, such as the unemployed and old age pensioners.

Local Authority Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: My party, Sinn Féin and some Independent Members tabled amendments on Committee Stage of the Water Services (Amendment) Bill which were debated at length, in which we sought to reduce the €50 charge relating to septic tanks. It made a mockery of the Oireachtas when the Minister announced, prior to a Fine Gael branch meeting at Dundrum House Hotel, that the charge was being reduced to €5.

Local Authority Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: On Committee Stage, the Minister indicated that he could not accept our amendments because they would give rise to a charge on the Exchequer. It was disrespectful to the Oireachtas that he could not agree to our amendments to reduce the registration fee and that he then made an announcement in this regard on the "Six One" news programme. This matter has been dealt with in a very disjointed...

Local Authority Charges (3 May 2012)

Niall Collins: I am coming to it. This shows the disjointed approach being taken to some of the projects being rolled out by the Minister's Department. The Minister has indicated that the national risk-based assessment plan is being prepared by the EPA and will be rolled out by the local authorities. What is the position on the much discussed and promised grant aid scheme to assist householders who will...