Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

Yes. We are dealing with Deputy Stanley's amendment. I said it is important to discuss it even if we discussed nothing else today. If the Minister wanted to be fair, honest and up front with people the very first thing he should have done was to publish a set of agreed standards for septic tanks and their treatment. That should have been the basic start of the matter. That is the kernel of the problem.

The Minister is probably aware by now that I was on his local radio station this morning explaining the situation to people in Kilkenny because he has not held a public meeting there to inform anyone of what is happening. I recently found out that Deputy Hayes is bringing him to Dundrum in County Tipperary, a nice big estate with a big tree-lined avenue. That is the kind of place people in Fine Gael prefer - the landed gentry. He can have it. Many people will be up in the trees and around the trees waiting for him, as they are waiting in the long grass.

This is a patent nonsense. It is an insult to people in rural areas to pass such a Bill. I will not vote for it. As Deputy Healy-Rae said, the Minister expects his own Deputies to say one thing in the country. When Deputy Hayes is asked about a tank in Golden which we know is running straight into the River Suir, he says it will be fine, that it will pass the test. When Deputy Hayes comes to Dublin he will pass a Bill with no standards. Dúirt bean liom go dúirt bean lei go raibh ag Tiobraid Árainn a bhfuil póca ina léine aige. There was a great deal of dúirt bean liom and dúirt bean lei in this. Tá súil agam go mbeidh a lán mná agus fir - there will be - at the meeting in Dundrum if it takes place on 6 February. I want that to be broadcast. I hope it is a public meeting. I asked the Minister if I could go. He said it is up to Deputy Hayes. I do not know who it is up to but I have another engagement that night in west Limerick but I will come back to it.

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