Results 13,021-13,040 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Absolutely. It is.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Is Sinn Féin charging €1,000 per house in the North?

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Sinn Féin is a partitionist party.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Poverty is an issue that will be examined in its totality.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: It will be done.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I could not say Deputy McGrath comes across as sane.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Which is it?

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Go back over that again for your own sake.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Absolutely not.

Water Services Reform: Statements (26 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: This is a very important debate. We are arranging for the implementation programme to be debated by the committee as soon as it is available so that every member of the Oireachtas who wishes will have an opportunity to go through all of the issues in an open-ended way. There will be no time limit on that debate such as there is on this one. It is important to discuss the issues and answer...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (25 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Caithfidh mé a rá, mar a dúirt mé cheana, gurb í tuairim an Ard-Aighne nach féidir é a dhéanamh, mar a luaigh an Seanadóir, gan reafrainn a bheith ann. Tá sé soiléir gur féidir fíneáil a ghearradh sa chúirt, ach ní féidir l'aon fhoras seachas na Revenue Commissioners thaobh civil fine a ghearradh. Is féidir fíneáil a fháil uathu siúd. As simple as it might appear,...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (25 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The definition of "undertaking" in the Bill includes a person, an individual, a body corporate or an unincorporated body of persons engaged for gain in the production or supply or distribution of goods or the provision of a service. If any one of those entities acts in an anti-competitive manner, the Competition Authority has to pursue them under this legislation. While I appreciate Senator...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (25 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir as ucht na tuairimí a nochtaigh sé. Is mian liom freagra a thabhairt i mBéarla i dtosach don Seanadóir. As Senator White's amendments have been grouped, my responses will cover the proposed amendment in respect of both sections 3 and 4. The first part of Senator White's amendment, paragraph (a), substitutes provisions relating to the actions that a...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (25 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome the views expressed by Senators Kelly, Barrett, Quinn and Ó Clochartaigh. Sticking to the civil issue, the advice to all Governments from Attorneys General has always been that we would be in breach of any provision in the Constitution if we did so; that is why there will not be civil fines. The Competition Authority and the troika both wanted civil fines but they are happy with...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (25 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am glad we agree the penalties should be increased when the Bill is passed and that the penalties for those who break the law are much tougher. Imprisonment of a person for ten years is very serious. The legislation allows for the doubling of the penalty from five to ten years. That must be paramount in the mind of anyone considering breaking the law. I worked with a whistleblower,...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (25 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: It would deter me.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (25 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is off the record.

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (24 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 540 and 541 together. The Government has decided to assign responsibility for the economic regulation of the water sector to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). The primary role of the regulator will be to protect the interests of customers and to ensure a consistent and appropriate level of service is provided to customers; the regulator will be...

Estimates for Public Services 2012: Messages from Select Committees (24 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Deputy Boyd Barrett can use mental telepathy.

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (18 Apr 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 787, 798 and 828 together. The Government decided in December 2011, based on the recommendations of an independent assessment, to establish a public water utility company, Irish Water, to take over the operational and capital delivery functions of local authorities in the water services area. Further consideration has been given since then as to whether Irish...