Results 12,041-12,060 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

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

Fergus O'Dowd: I am somewhat confused.

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

Fergus O'Dowd: The Government has decided that the CER will be the economic regulator. Accordingly, the CER will be the agency responsible for approving charges to be levied on customers and setting the standards of customer care to be delivered. The Bill provides the CER with powers of direction with regard to the standards to be applied by Irish Water, which will be elaborated on in codes of practice....

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

Fergus O'Dowd: The Senator is correct that a proactive relationship between Irish Water and consumers will work. There is nothing more important to consumers than bills and if a utility bill is increasing, it is important to intervene in an appropriate manner and to have a strategy in place for doing so. Drive-by meters will be installed which enable electronic communication from the meter to Irish Water...

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

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Senator Barrett for his comments. The primary function of the Commission for Energy Regulation will be to protect the interests of customers and to ensure that a consistent and appropriate level of services is provided to them. It will also be responsible for approving the water charges plan prepared by Uisce Éireann and the codes of practice that will apply to it in terms of...

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

Fergus O'Dowd: This is not rocket science. There will be an annual report. Anything that will be transferred from a county council clearly will be in the minutes of the council. What the Minister will sign is a public document, a memorandum. He must give his consent and the document will be available in the county council. I presume ministerial orders are available online and I am sure the stuff will...

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

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes.

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

Fergus O'Dowd: It might be the Senator.

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

Fergus O'Dowd: I have no difficulty in having a vote in the House. It is no big deal. The Senator has made his point and I have listened to him.

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

Fergus O'Dowd: We have all listened to him. I will be happy to return on Thursday and let us vote on the matter, if needs be. Is that fair enough?

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

Fergus O'Dowd: It is a bill. When a person pays an electricity bill or telephone bill, there will be a standing charge, so there is nothing new about this.

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

Fergus O'Dowd: Many local authorities already have agreements in place with individual customers for the provision of water and waste water. These agreements have been critically important in facilitating economic investment and the creation of significant employment throughout the country. This amendment is intended to provide Irish Water with the power to enter into similar agreements with individual...

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

Fergus O'Dowd: I cannot give that commitment. I undertook to contact Irish Water officials and see if they have any difficulty with the agency placing the data requested by the Senator on its website and putting it in its annual report. I do not think that is a statutory obligation. I will bring it to their attention, but I have no doubt that there is no issue with providing the information in the way I...

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

Fergus O'Dowd: The issue is whether it is a legal obligation in the Act to do that. I believe Irish Water will do it anyway and I do not think there is a need to put it in the Act. I am happy to inform Irish Water of the Seanad's view. I do not have a problem at all with what the Senators are seeking, and I do not think Irish Water will have a problem with it. What the Senators are suggesting makes...

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

Fergus O'Dowd: The standing charge associated with the water meter is for all of the services in the water system until the water reaches the consumer's door. The consumer pays for the water that goes through the meter and into the house so the standing charge will pay for everything outside of the home and for the meter itself. That is quite normal.

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

Fergus O'Dowd: I never said that.

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

Fergus O'Dowd: I will hold Senator Healy Eames to her word.

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

Fergus O'Dowd: I am not the Minister for Finance, but it is important to point out that we are still in a troika programme. While we are about to exit that programme, we still have significant cuts to public expenditure to make. What we are doing here is making sure we have an adequate water supply into the future. The money people pay for their water will go to Irish Water and not to the Government. I...

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

Fergus O'Dowd: -----plus a standing charge of €250 is not on. I would not even do that to someone who lives in Cavan. I will say no more because Cavan is a fine county. Let us get real about this.

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

Fergus O'Dowd: The information was discovered during my research.

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

Fergus O'Dowd: A split in what?