Results 12,021-12,040 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: There was no scope.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: On a point of order it was the Cathaoirleach and not me who ruled the amendment out of order. Let us be clear about this. I am happy to debate anything here.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Perhaps the Senator's research was based on the Library and Research Service.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: We have gone over a lot of old ground and there is no new wine that I can see. The Bill provides that the primary function of the Commission for Energy Regulation is to protect the best interests of the customers of Irish Water and I have no doubt that will be the case. I have referred to the document it placed in the public domain and there will be a second in which it will identify the...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Whatever the Senator wants to call it.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: These arguments count for zilch, nothing. Fianna Fáil got us into this mess and we are cleaning it up.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The public had the decision to make and will make another fairly soon. To return to Sinn Féin's argument, in Northern Ireland there is a tax which includes water-----

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I did not interrupt the Senator.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Senator is being very rude.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I did not interrupt the Senator; I have treated him with respect. Hard as it might be, I ask him to listen to me. There are two facets to the household charge or its equivalent in the North: the regional charge and the national charge. Belfast City Council fixes the regional charge and the record shows that last year every one of the Sinn Féin's people in Belfast voted to increase it...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: This side of the House refutes the figures, as does the Senator. There is clarity on the issue provided by me and Senator Maurice Cummins. Let us not play games. This is the real business of improving water infrastructure, creating jobs and providing for transparency in the process. Let us go to the core of the issues raised. Government policy is clear that every household will have a...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Multiply that figure by 12. That is the combined charge paid in the heart of London. This is not something new coming out of the air to be imposed on mother Ireland. We must do this and the system must be seen to be fair, transparent and accountable. All the marks of transparency and accountability can be seen. That is why I am happy to reaffirm that there will be capacity to take on...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Only for tonight. I will be back.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Those figures have been bandied about by the Opposition.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: These are the Senators' amendments. Senators can decide what amendments to table. The Government is not controlling the debate.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Senators will be glad to hear that these Government amendments are technical drafting provisions and do not change the intent of the section. The issues raised by the Senator are very important. There may be a large commercial user of water, including major industry, that could be on a different tariff to somebody else. There may be different charges within a particular context.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: A major industry could be a very significant user of water and it could have a different tariff from somebody who would not use the same volume. The tariffs have yet to be decided but households which are not metered may be charged on an assessed basis; the volume of water that might be used would be assessed based on the factors such as number of people in a household. In other words, the...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: One of the problems is that people will pay by volume and to measure volume there must be a meter, as Senators have correctly indicated. The first phase of houses to be metered have a direct connection to the mains and we know where that connection is. Along the street there are pipes going to the premises and the meter will go at the boundary box, and we know exactly where that is. With a...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: One must also consider borrowings and investments that could be put in privately. The €750 figure is not right.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The figure is €242 million.