Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The only thing I understand from what the Taoiseach told me, and for which news I am really grateful, is that Uisce Éireann is not the Government. I thank the Taoiseach for that. Nothing else gives this House any insight into what the Government has been doing, except the wee remark towards the end of the Taoiseach's contribution indicating the regulator will set a standing charge. Now we can deduce that there will be a standing charge. The Taoiseach provided no evidence at all that wastage, leakage and other problems could not have been better addressed by leaving responsibility for the service in the hands of democratically elected local authorities.

I remember the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, saying Irish Water would lead to savings for the taxpayer of €2 billion. Where is the evidence of that? Let us just consider what this is all about. I ask the Taoiseach to give me a straight answer to this question. Is this not all a prelude to the privatisation of what should be a public service? Is this all preparatory work being done to impose yet another burden on members of the public, including working families and struggling householders? If the Taoiseach is to give the Dáil and citizens information before the local government elections, it defies logic that he does not have it now. Will the Taoiseach own up to the fact that this is subterfuge to privatise our public water service?

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