Results 12,521-12,540 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I apologise. I had the wrong page open. Amendment No. 21 provides that the Minister for Finance may guarantee the borrowings made by Irish Water or Bord Gáis for the purposes of the Bill. The provision of a guarantee of the borrowings of a semi-State company is a common provision included in legislation establishing many other State bodies and companies. This provision provides that...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: Ideally.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is what this legislation seeks to do.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: No.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I do not need to correct it, the Deputy is wrong.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I want to be very clear on this. If we were to say what it might cost, we could then make it more expensive for us to buy the products and that is part of the issue.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: There is no problem with poverty proofing, which is a critical issue.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: No, it is not a secret at all. It is not like the meeting in the Fianna Fáil curia - or whatever it is called.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: It used to have a black book or something. I am not sure if it still has it.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I read stories about it.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I return to the serious issue-----

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: -----of poverty proofing. It is a critical issue for people. We need to identify the types of households and the types of people in order to ensure that people are not in what is termed as water poverty - that is when more than 3% of their income goes towards the cost of water. That is the benchmark mentioned in the literature I have read. We sought and got more than 200 submissions to a...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I did not interrupt the Deputy. Sitting in this seat was the former Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen, who signed a deal with the troika. On behalf of the State he signed up to introducing charges by 1 January 2014. That is what he signed and as the succeeding Government, we have to accept that commitment. That is what the previous Government did - that is the way the country was at the time.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am trying to bring enabling legislation through the Oireachtas so that the basic powers to establish the company and allow the regulator to commence work are established. Notwithstanding the troika agreement, it is a matter for the Government to decide when charges will commence. I believe the Deputy mentioned June 2014. The Fianna Fáil-led Government signed up to 1 January of that...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Members opposite for their input today. Notwithstanding the reasons the amendments are before us, we believe that amendment No. 3 is not appropriate. The purpose of section 24 is to provide the commission with the necessary powers to prepare for the performance of regulatory functions and to advise the Government on the development of policy regarding the regulation of water....

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: To 2017, at least.

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Order for Report Stage (7 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now".

Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have looked at it and it is not that good.

Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: I never saw such poverty anywhere as I saw in Cuba. Everybody was begging.

Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Mar 2013)

Fergus O'Dowd: The Deputy was there on an official visit.