Results 12,461-12,480 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Amendment No. 4 is a grammatical change to section 24 and does not change the purpose or meaning of subsection (1) of section 24.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Where a local authority carries out any activity in respect of water services that same powers will attach to Irish Water in the context that it must negotiate with the local authority before proceeding to carry out works. It will have the same powers as a local authority. Legally, it has the same statutory powers to ensure the water supply is safe and to carry out whatever works are needed...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I do not know the cost. The regulator will do due diligence on all of that area. All costs submitted will have to be transparent and will be transparently decided. Nothing will be hidden.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: No. The average commercial charge for water at present across all counties is ¤2.52 per 1,000 litres. In Denmark one will get three quarters of a bottle of water for ¤1. That is an indication of how expensive water is there. That is very expensive water compared with ours. The actual cost will be determined by the regulator. I do not know if that is helpful. People will know the cost...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I think that is presently the arrangement between all group water schemes. In other words, whatever arrangement is in place with the group water scheme will not change as a result of this. Clearly, issues arise with group water schemes. The experience in County Mayo is that one cannot cost the voluntary effort that goes in. I would hope the voluntary effort that the community puts in to...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Far be it for me to offer Senator Landy anything but comfort, given the problems we have to deal with. There have been many questions and if I do not answer some, I will be happy to deal with them if Senators give me notice. The next Bill will address all the issues raised by Senator Landy, including the legal and important technical points which must be resolved. What the Bill is doing is...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: To take the last point first, it is the duty of the Oireachtas to ensure that due process is carried out with regard to all annual reports brought before it. I appreciate that the Senator is talking about day-to-day expenditure, but the accountability of Irish Water under the legislation is to the Oireachtas in terms of its annual report. I have no doubt the report will be subject to...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: What was the Senator's question?

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The budget for water infrastructure at present, both capital and current, is ¤1.2 billion. The income from that nationwide at present is ¤200 million. That is from commercial metering. Uncollected accounts in that area amount to more than 30%, which is also a serious issue. Irish Water will start with the money it will get from the commercial rates. It will also get whatever actual...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The purpose of amendment No. 3 is to provide the board with powers to undertake preparatory work pending the assignment of full water services powers by future legislation. A similar provision for the Commission for Energy Regulation was included in the published Bill. This amendment will clarify the range of functions that the subsidiary, Irish Water, and the board may carry out pending...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Amendment No. 1 provides that the Minister for Finance may guarantee the borrowings made by Irish Water or Bord Gáis Éireann for the purposes of this Bill. It will not mean that all the company's borrowings will automatically be guaranteed. The guarantee would only be applied on a case-by-case basis after the Minister has consulted with the Minister for the Environment, Community and...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I understand the ceiling on it is the total amount at any one time.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I apologise. It is not automatic; it has to be applied for. However, the maximum borrowings are ¤500 million at any one time.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: On the cost analysis that has been done, the maximum borrowing of ¤500 million is more than adequate to meet any anticipated borrowings. Clearly Irish Water will have an income from domestic and commercial water charges.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (13 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: In its plan of development obviously Irish Water will need to have due regard for water supplies that need to be upgraded. A number of those supplies have been identified already. I am not saying they are necessarily from cryptosporidium, but last year a number of boil notices had to be issued in cases where the EPA felt there was an issue with water quality. I am confident that no issue...

Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (12 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: There is already a spent conviction provision in respect of those who are under 18 years.

Topical Issue Debate: School Completion Programme (12 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputy for putting this matter on the agenda this evening. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Fitzgerald. I assure the Deputy that I will bring his comments directly to her attention. The school completion programme aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and generally to improve...

Topical Issue Debate: School Completion Programme (12 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I acknowledge the Deputy's points and assure him that I will bring them to the attention of the Minister, particularly the Le Chéile project in Knocknaheeny. While there are significant financial problems everywhere the full adjustment identified in the comprehensive review of expenditure for 2014 will be further considered in the context of a review of the programme to be undertaken...

Topical Issue Debate: Labour Market Issues (12 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will bring the comments of the Deputy to the attention of the Minister. Pathways to Work represents the Government's policy statement on labour market activity, which is committed, as I said, to more focused intervention. Given the limited public resources, it is essential that these activation measures are targeted. The current cohort of people who are long-term unemployed are a...

Topical Issue Debate: Labour Market Issues (12 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will respond on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton. It is estimated the Department of Social Protection will spend over €1 billion on working-age employment supports in 2013. This substantial expenditure, against a backdrop of significant fiscal consolidation, underlines the Government's commitment to enhancing support for activation and assisting...