Government seriously misleads Dáil on Septic Tank Bill – Ó Cuív

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Scríofa ag Eamon Ó Cuív Dé hAoine, 13 Eanáir 2012

The Government has seriously misled the Dáil and the public by claiming that fines will be imposed on Ireland if the Septic Tank Bill is not passed by February 3rd, according to Fianna Fáil Deputy Leader Éamon Ó Cuív.

Deputy Ó Cuív was told by Minister Ruairí Quinn during Order of Business in the Dáil yesterday that the controversial Bill is being guillotined at Committee stage because the European Commission will fine Ireland €26,000 a day unless the legislation is in place by February 3rd.  Deputy Ó Cuiv has since contacted Commission and has established that this is not true.

The Commission has confirmed to Fianna Fáil that the European Court of Justice case is ongoing and the court won’t reach its findings until the Summer at the earliest, so fines cannot be imposed before then.

Deputy Ó Cuív commented, “The Government has used threats of imminent fines to force the House into hurried decisions that will have very serious consequences for hundreds of thousands of home owners across the country.  It has now been confirmed to me by the European authorities that these threats are false.

“The European Commission has informed me that the European Court of Justice won’t reach its findings until the Summer at the earliest. They also confirmed that it is not true that Ireland will incur fines if the Bill is not passed by Feb 3rd.

“From the very start, Minister Hogan and his Government colleagues have attempted to bully the Irish people into accepting the septic tank legislation without allowing proper debate and providing adequate information about standards and costs.  Minister Hogan has accused me directly of ‘scaremongering’.   I have argued all along that I recognise the need to register our septic tanks, ensure our water systems are clean and adhere to the European Court order. However, I am against this Government’s attempts to push the entire cost of this process directly onto septic tank owners and to ignore their questions about inspection standards and resulting costs.  Nothing has scared septic tank owners more than the uncertainty Minister Hogan has created.  Now he and his Government are using scare tactics by falsely threatening EU fines from next month if they do not get their way.”

Deputy Ó Cuív raised the issue as a Point of Order in the Dáil this morning, asking that the two votes taken on the Bill yesterday be declared null and void as they were based on incorrect information.

He said: “If Deputies had been given the correct information yesterday, they would have agreed that guillotining such an important Bill sends out the wrong message about how we do our work.”

Ends.

Ó Cuív calls on Hogan to publish the standards for inspection of septic tanks

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Scríofa ag Eamon Ó Cuív Dé Máirt, 20 Nollaig 2011

Fianna Fáil Deputy Leader Éamon Ó Cuív has called on the Government to allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to appear before the Oireachtas Environment Committee to outline details of the standards that will be applied under Minister Hogan’s Septic Tank Bill.
 
Deputy Ó Cuív explained: “Septic tank owners across the country are anxiously waiting to hear what standards will apply when their septic tanks are inspected under Minister Hogan’s Bill.  This could clarify whether most householders will have to pay thousands of euro for upgrading or replacing their systems. These homeowners need answers, and so far they have been given none.

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Ó Cuív reveals extent of cuts threatening services at Merlin Park Hospital -Beds closed as 6,000 people wait for orthopaedic outpatient care

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Scríofa ag Eamon Ó Cuív Dé Céadaoin, 14 Nollaig 2011

Fianna Fáil Deputy Leader Éamon Ó Cuív TD has revealed the extent of cuts currently impacting orthopaedic services in Galway. 
Deputy Ó Cuív has become aware of significant difficulties at Merlin Park Hospital due to staff shortages and budget cutbacks.

Deputy Ó Cuív said: “There are just 25 orthopaedic beds now available at Merlin Park Hospital, with 6,000 people already on waiting lists for outpatient services. This is an extremely serious situation and it is having an enormous impact on elective surgery across the west of Ireland.
  
“These difficulties will only be made worse next year if they are not addressed as there are more staff due to retire from Merlin Park in February.  If these healthcare workers are not replaced, elective surgery in Merlin Park may be at risk.   “I have spoken to my colleague, Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Health Billy Kelleher, and I am calling on Health Minister James Reilly and HSE West to act immediately to protect orthopaedic services in Merlin Park.  Staff should be recruited immediately so that these essential frontline services in Merlin Park can be maintained.   “Thousands of people benefit from orthopaedic services across the country every year.  It is crucial that our services in Galway and the west of Ireland are not threatened.  Minister Reilly has so far failed to set out a comprehensive plan for how management of the health service retirements will be managed in a matter of weeks.  I am urging him to do so without delay, and to ensure that Merlin Park Hospital can continue to deliver care to those who need it.”  

ENDS

Cut in Home Energy grants will put thousands of construction jobs at risk – Ó Cuív

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Scríofa ag Eamon Ó Cuív Dé Máirt, 13 Nollaig 2011

Cuts of up to 64% in home insulation grants in Budget 2012 will devastate a specialised sector within the construction industry and put thousands of jobs at risk, according Fianna Fáil Deputy Leader and Spokesperson on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Éamon Ó Cuív.
 
Deputy Ó Cuív commented, “The government has made drastic cuts to home energy schemes in the Budget for next year, less than 7 months after unveiling their much-anticipated jobs initiative which was heavily dependent on job creation in the home energy sector.  Far from creating jobs, the cuts to home insulation grants in this Budget 2012 will put around thousands of jobs at risk.
 
 “As of last week, grants for internal wall insulation have been slashed by 64% for apartments or mid-terrace houses, and 46% for semi-detached and end of terrace houses.  For external wall insulation, there are cuts of 55% to the grants available to homeowners in apartments or mid-terrace houses and 33% for semi-detached and end of terrace homes.  Grants for attic insulation have been cut by 20%, as have the grants for heating controls and boiler upgrades.

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Ó Cuív Calls on Gilmore to Publish Irish Position

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Scríofa ag Eamon Ó Cuív Déardaoin, 08 Nollaig 2011

Fianna Fáil Deputy Leader Éamon Ó Cuív TD has called on Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore to publish Ireland's response to the leaked letter from Angela Merkel and Nicholas Sarkozy.

He commented, "Last night Ireland learned from a media leak that France and Germany are demanding compromise on Ireland's opposition to tax harmonisation as a condition of agreeing to address the ongoing debt crisis.  This is completely unacceptable and should be rejected immediately by the Irish Government.

"In the Dáil today, I challenged the Tánaiste on this issue and asked for reassurance that the Taoiseach would not be bullied on this issue.  I was told that Ireland had already responded to the letter and had made our views clear.

"I am calling on the Tánaiste to publish this letter today and reassure the country that the absolute steadfastness of previous Governments on the issue of Irish taxation is being maintained by Fine Gael and the Labour Party."