Results 11,961-11,980 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Notwithstanding the excellent legal opinion he has given us, and the significance of the legal brains involved, we are talking here about Irish Water, not the regulator. This is not a directive to the regulator; it is a direction in writing to Irish Water. During the initial years of its operation, Irish Water will be in receipt of substantial State funding. Moreover, the power relates to...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Just a little bit.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes.

Seanad: Adjournment Matter: EU Funding (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The answer is in the question. I do not know the specific answer but I will ask the Minister to respond to the Senator on that.

Seanad: Adjournment Matter: EU Funding (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Tá liosta de na grúpaí a fuair airgead anseo. Tá sé soiléir ón liosta cé hiad na daoine a fuair an t-airgead agus cé mhéid a tugadh dóibh. Glacann an tAire go bhfuil sé tábhachtach an díospóireacht seo a bheith againn. The European Refugee Fund provides assistance for the reception of asylum seekers and the reception...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Has anybody here ever bought a plastic bottle with a litre of water or drink in it? There is a thing called displacement. One can place a full litre bottle of water or stones in a cistern so that less water is needed to fill it but the toilet can still flush. People can do practical things like that to conserve water. In Ireland each person uses the equivalent of two full baths of water...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Perhaps one might have to buy a plastic bottle full of water but that is fair enough. I talked about simple measures but the Senator has chosen to make a mountain out of a molehill. Senator Ó Clochartaigh is right, if we had the best of all worlds we would have the grant system. To put it simply, we do not have the money to do so. I can assure the House that everyone that I have...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: No, I did not.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: They do not have to.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: No, let me repeat. I suggest that people keep the water tap switched off when brushing their teeth and turn it on when they wish to rinse. Simple measures like that will make a difference. There are hundreds of tips to conserve water. One can have all of the technology in the world but one does not need gadgets to use commonsense. Enough said.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have not.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is not true.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Senator has experienced a rush of blood to the head.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I said that it was expensive to retrofit an existing house.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I said that it was much cheaper to install a rainwater harvesting system when building a new house.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: True.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have been advised that the discussions were ongoing but there is no money to pay for what the Senators want. It is much easier to buy a water conserving tap and install a dual flush toilet in a new build and a retrofit is far more expensive. That is the point I made. There are websites that can provide information on water conservation. There is a vast number of simple measures that...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I do not expect that the wisdom coming from this side of the House will be absorbed by those on the other side. I have outlined what we have been saying. The key is that the Senator has gone to the core of the issue, that is, the question of solving water problems where they exist. He mentioned the significant number in his constituency. Right around the country, all the county councils...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Bill provides for the water-in, water-out principle. It is not intended that householders with septic tanks will be charged for wastewater services. The Bill provides for this in section 17(10). People with private wells will not be charged for water supply. The Bill also provides for that. There was another question.