Results 141-160 of 5,475 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

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

Gerard Craughwell: My colleague, Senator Daly, said we must ensure that we have control over Irish Water. I disagree with him. We must not ensure we have control over it; we must ensure that we own it. That is not control; it is absolute control. We must own everything - every pipe, every production plant, everything.

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

Gerard Craughwell: Perhaps Senator Norris is right. Perhaps it has been a tiresome morning for all of us. I cannot even begin to explain to the Minister of State the level of frustration that I feel today. I have two telephones beside me here. I have contacted country councillors all over the country and none of them wants anything to do with Irish Water. The level of frustration they feel as a result of...

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

Gerard Craughwell: Sorry, Chairman. He should just bring in the evidence and read it out-----

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

Gerard Craughwell: -----and at least put the people's minds to rest on that issue so that they know there is a genuine reason he cannot agree to a referendum. I will finish on that, as it has been a long morning.

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

Gerard Craughwell: For the first time today, I have seen something the Minister cannot refuse. I see him sitting there and shaking his head saying he will refuse because the grey beards - the backroom boys - have told him to come here and reject everything because they have written the Bill and he is not to change it because if he does, they will really screw him up. This is a wonderful idea. The Minister...

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

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister should take my comments on board.

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

Gerard Craughwell: The ground is shifting.

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

Gerard Craughwell: I detect a shifting of the sands with the Minister. As we tire, he is becoming more reasonable and we are becoming more demanding. It is not a big demand. Senator Byrne's amendment does not seek a recommendation on a constitutional referendum from the forum; it merely provides that the forum may consider the matter and bring a recommendation to the Government. I understand the Minister...

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

Gerard Craughwell: I accept that but, in fairness, I am entitled to his attention while I am speaking. I gave him my attention.

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

Gerard Craughwell: That is fine.

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

Gerard Craughwell: Senator Quinn gave his conditional support, and that condition still arises. I have stated that a referendum is a red-line issue for me. It is a red-line issue in all the text messages I have received today. This is an opportunity to get over that hurdle. If it is the case that, as Senator Ó Murchú observed, the Government has no intention of accepting any amendment, I ask the...

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

Gerard Craughwell: I support the amendment tabled by Senator Fidelma Healy Eames. One of the things that was made perfectly clear to us was that metering would allow families to establish the amount of water they were using. It is only right and proper that we delay any charge until everything is ready to go.

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

Gerard Craughwell: I have outlined my position and support the amendment on that basis.

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

Gerard Craughwell: I applaud what you are doing but it is wrong.

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

Gerard Craughwell: Fair play to the Minister of State. He has set out the issue and held his cool most of the night. I ask him to do everybody in this House a favour and tell us straight out that he will not accept any amendments to any part of this Bill tonight and let us all go home.

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

Gerard Craughwell: I am getting a bit tired of the ping-pong that Senator Norris is talking about. There are people out there who depend on us. The Minister of State has mentioned the sums of €260 or €160 per year and somewhere along the line, all of us - including me - have forgotten that there are people in this country who do not have €5 left over at the end of the week.

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

Gerard Craughwell: As my colleague, Senator Barrett, has indicated, these are the ordinary people who asked for this House to be retained in order to have some sort of a paternal look over legislation. They expected much more from us. I deeply regret the Water Services Bill as it has been presented. The Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Kelly, are genuinely trying but they are not being allowed to...

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

Gerard Craughwell: I am not interested in political points scoring.

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

Gerard Craughwell: I want a straight answer from the Minister of State. Will he tell us he will not accept any amendments and let us all go home to hell?

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

Gerard Craughwell: We can deal with it on Monday.