Results 501-520 of 4,810 for speaker:Liam Twomey

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: The Minister of State might inform the Dáil as to who owns the overall company, Ervia. To the best of my knowledge, it still is owned by the people and therefore, as Irish Water technically is a subsidiary of Ervia, there is no doubt about the ownership of Irish Water, which still is ours. I take Deputy McNamara's point that the legislation is definitely more simple and easier than...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: Absolutely. It certainly could be. As I have read more about this subject, one interesting point to emerge is about Northern Ireland Water, and the more this matter is discussed, the more important it becomes. Northern Ireland Water has been in existence for seven years. It cost more to set up than Irish Water did. It has had its own hiccups - at one point, 36,000 people were without...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: However, Sinn Féin never has had any discussions about getting rid of Northern Ireland Water, and it now delivers the service it was created for. The structures of Irish Water and Northern Ireland Water are highly similar. There is nothing in the management statement or the financial memorandum of Northern Ireland Water that makes any reference to the necessity for board members to be...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: That is what is happening in Northern Ireland with the household charge.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: Are these gross or comparative figures?

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: I thank the Acting Chairman.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: It is Northern Ireland, not the Soviet Union. I am somewhat confused-----

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: I am somewhat confused by some of the contributions. We have heard that water is a human right for the past couple of weeks and that everything should be for free. When the Government facilitates the establishment of Irish Water and keeps costs down, there are objections.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: The Opposition wants to load it with more debt. It is confusing.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: It is, but we are trying to get Irish Water going.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: Off balance sheet.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: I do not think other Deputies are being clear. I have been dragged into side arguments because there seems to be confusion within the Opposition as to what it wants out of Irish Water. I like other Deputies would like to make a comparison with Northern Ireland Water. Of the household charge in Northern Ireland, £160 goes towards water. Some £200 million of the block grant from...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: I do not know why there is such concern over PPS numbers being given to Irish Water.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: Every sole trader in the country who receives a payment from a State organisation, be it the Garda Síochána or another organisation, must supply a PPS number to receive payment. Around five years ago I was requested to give my PPS number and the PPS number of each member of my family to the VHI and I do not recall anyone in this House ever raising concerns over this practice by the...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: There must be some way of tracking customers and I ask the Minister to comment on this.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Ceart chun Féinriarachta Pearsanta agus Sláine Colainne) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Right to Personal Autonomy and Bodily Integrity) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: There is no denying the prevalence of terminations in Irish society today. Many hundreds of thousands of women in the country have travelled to the United Kingdom and elsewhere to have a termination carried out. There is also no denying that there is still a lot of fear and secrecy around travelling for and returning from a termination. I would not be even slightly dismissive or blase...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: Most European countries have a public system of water supply which is operated on a commercial basis by public authorities or enterprise and which impose a charge on households. The fact that Deputy Paul Murphy had to go all the way to Detroit to get an example to back up his argument substantiates the Government's claim that Irish Water will work. It is not for privatisation. We are...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: The only places one can find publicly regulated but privately owned and operated water services are England and Wales. Even Northern Ireland does not have it. The Deputy's arguments are wrong. According to the Northern Ireland Water website, of which Deputy Stanley would be aware, a scheme of charges for 2014-2015 includes domestic water supply. Nobody is saying Sinn Féin is going to...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: The Opposition is using silly arguments. This is a very effective means of managing a utility which works across Europe. Next time Deputy Paul Murphy is having a protest outside and needs to get somebody up on the bandstand with him, maybe he might try and find someone closer to home to back up his arguments.

Written Answers — Department of Health: EU Regulations (16 Dec 2014)

Liam Twomey: 438. To ask the Minister for Health the way the funding received from the National Health Service is accounted for; and the way the Health Service Executive or his Department bills the NHS for looking after NHS patients here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47905/14]