Results 161-180 of 5,475 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

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

Gerard Craughwell: I compliment the Minister on his good humour on what must be a tough day for him. I appreciate the time he and the Minister of State have given. It has been reported to me in the past hour that the Exchequer has taken over the debts of Irish Water to the tune of €460 million. Is this true? On the issue of people not being able to pay, I recall my father who was a gas fitter...

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

Gerard Craughwell: If the will-not-pay majority gets to the point that practically nobody is paying water charges and the company goes broke, where are we, as no company can survive without revenue? I received a tweet tonight from a Fine Gael Deputy, whose name I will not mention, asking does government always have to start from a position of defence. Is it not possible to take on board some of the amendments...

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

Gerard Craughwell: I will not keep the Minister long. I just want to get a couple of facts straight. I asked the Minister about the €460 million. He has not answered that. I would appreciate it if he would deal with this. Is that €460 million in loans to the company? There is an additional €165 million which is part of the conservation grant and there is €60 million for rates....

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

Gerard Craughwell: The water conservation grant is another sliding mirror smokescreen. Senator Healy Eames is correct to suggest this is all about getting people to sign up and nothing else. I cannot understand how the Minister will gather whether we have conserved anything. Are we going to employ inspectors to check what conservation measures have taken place in each house? Do I simply sign up and state...

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

Gerard Craughwell: I appeal to the Minister to indicate that the Government will consider taking at least one amendment. If not, then those in charge should let us all go home to bed. Then, we will come back on Monday and have a discussion on Report Stage during which the Minister will probably take no amendments either. Let us stop the game-playing. Let us go home - we are all tired - if the Minister is...

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

Gerard Craughwell: I commend the Minister on his proposal to put together a forum on water through this Bill. I am concerned, however, about the representation on that board, particularly in regard to households. Will it include representation from those households that have what might be regarded as specific needs? I heard it said over the weekend that Irish Water had intended to make allowances for people...

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

Gerard Craughwell: I will not hold up the Minister on this issue. All I will say is that I am a little concerned about water quality. There are dangerously high levels of lead in the water in Tralee but no single agency claims responsibility for same. The HSE has not issued a non-drinking notice, the local authority will not do so because the issue concerns Irish Water, and the EPA will not do so either....

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

Gerard Craughwell: I am tiring of this farce that has now continued for 20 odd hours. No amendments have been accepted. I will speak to amendment No. 26 which simply calls for the Comptroller and Auditor General to undertake a full review of the company. I do not believe it will be in operation in 12 months time for such a review to be carried out, as it will be insolvent. Will the Minister of State tell me...

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

Gerard Craughwell: No; I am getting tired of it.

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

Gerard Craughwell: This is not a genuine effort by a Government to take on board what the House says. The people voted to retain this House, yet not one amendment has been accepted and the Minister of State has no interest in anything anybody here has to say. He is going through what I call a democratic farce, which is an insult to the democratic process. I would love to be able to vote for Irish Water...

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

Gerard Craughwell: I am sorry, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, but I have said enough; I am so depressed that I cannot speak any more. It is a farce.

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

Gerard Craughwell: Hear, hear.

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

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister could have supported at least one amendment. Some of them were simple.

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

Gerard Craughwell: For God's sake.

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

Gerard Craughwell: It is a scam.

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

Gerard Craughwell: It will be broke.

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

Gerard Craughwell: A Chathaoirligh, would you allow five minutes for a discussion on section 13 which is an extremely important section?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Jobless Households: NESC, ICTU and INOU (14 Jan 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the witnesses for coming in today and compliment them on the work that all three agencies do. My first question is for the National Economic and Social Council, NESC. Dr. Johnston talks about disability with respect to joblessness. I am looking for a definition of what she describes as disabled. Are we talking about those who are educationally disabled, medically disabled or is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Jobless Households: NESC, ICTU and INOU (14 Jan 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Before Dr. Rigney moves on from that point, the zero hours contract or the one he described whereby one is left sitting at home waiting for the telephone to ring has become a plague in the public service for those who start on the bottom of the rung. Is that not the case?

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I congratulate Senator Noone for the courage she showed recently following a serious attack on social media. It was not easy, so my hat is off to her. I am extremely proud to see her back in her seat today.