Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There are already 18,000 people on boiled water notices. We are told by the Environmental Protection Agency that 16% of supplies are at risk if remedial action is not taken. The approach that the Government has taken on this issue is to establish a state-owned water utility to ensure that our water resources are maintained in public ownership and that there is investment in water in future.

Deputy Collins referred to people who are on the lowest level of income. We do not need any dictation from Deputy Collins on the matter. As I stated earlier, that is precisely why we must address the issue of ability to pay. We must address the situation of those households and families who will find the water charge difficult to pay.

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