Results 17,761-17,780 of 21,040 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: As I said, this is the responsibility of the Minister for Health, not the responsibility of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. Under the Act, local authorities have acted in the past as agents of the Health Service Executive on fluoridation of the public water supply to the prescribed standards. I understand the standards are laid out.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: With effect from 2014, Irish Water was assigned responsibility for this matter and took over from the local authorities. However, as has been stated previously, the Minister for Health has set up an expert body to advise him on fluoridation of water supply. Its membership is representative of public health and consumer interests, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland - I was not aware of any...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I believe this would be the right place for that debate. However, we also need to be concerned about the public and its view of what is said here. We must have a concern for comments that are alarmist and the impact these could have on people's health by the raising of concerns that are unjustified. I have two young children who are more important than anything else in the world to me. I...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: This debate has been worthwhile and influenced my thinking in a number of areas. It has re-emphasised matters for me because I am passionate about the matter of water quality. Irish Water is required to investigate the causes of problems with water quality and must notify the EPA which has a statutory role in this respect. If there are issues relating to human health, the HSE must be...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Senator Ó Domhnaill should remind me of that later.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Senators who contributed to the discussion on amendment No. 23, which proposes that the public water forum shall have a role in recommending that Irish Water "issue public health notices in respect of water quality". Section 5 of the Bill provides the forum with a wide range of functions including the broad function of providing Irish Water with "comments and suggestions in...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I accept this amendment was tabled in the right spirit. The rationale for the establishment of the customer consultative forum is to provide a voice for Irish Water's customers and to give them a greater influence on how Irish Water will work and operate. It is a good process and something which mirrors processes and practices in similar types of utilities. Section 7 provides that the...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: On the section as opposed to other matters, I will not outline in the House what will be done in legislation that has not yet been drafted or brought before Cabinet. It would be inappropriate to do so in respect of legislation that will not be introduced until early 2015. I repeat that a major distinction has been made between those who cannot pay and those who will not pay. Those who are...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Senator should listen. I outlined that An Post can play a significant role in providing a service. We have all heard about the need to protect post offices. Provided customers engage properly with Irish Water, they will not be subject to late payment charges. On the role of community welfare officers and social protection measures, these are a matter for the Minister for Social...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Absolutely. That is in the Bill.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: This section provides that where a customer has not paid any water charges within a period of 12 months after the issuing of the first demand and has not entered into nor is complying with a payment plan with Irish Water, Irish Water shall charge a late payment fee for each year the charge remains unpaid. The purpose of the section is to address the issue of those people who simply refuse to...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: It is a separate Bill. A question was asked as to whether I gave a direction to local authorities and the answer is "No". In regard to payments, a range of flexible payment systems will be put in place for those who find it difficult to pay the charges. Senators will be glad to know that I have insisted on An Post being used as part of the payment plan option, a suggestion raised in this...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Why would it have to be included in it?

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I have asked colleagues to trust my bona fides in what I said previously. They have a choice to make on whether they should do so. I am a reasonable person. I will look at this issue; I will consult and revert to the House on it. It is up to them to decide whether they want to accept this.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: There may be another forum that could be constituted to assuage the concerns about how this Bill proposes to deal with the privatisation issue. I am doing so on the basis of the amendment put down by Senator Byrne.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I do not believe this needs to be in the legislative process.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: That has nothing to do with me accepting the amendments or not. I will look at the idea of a forum and some other way of dealing with this.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I am giving a firm commitment here and now that I will look at the amendment in that spirit. Please, take my word on that. I might even surprise Senators opposite on it.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The House may also want to consider this issue. Whatever process is created, either through this legislation or outside of it, it could be used as a precedent. In the future, there may be other issues which could use the same model.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I am not that new.