Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I second the motion proposed by Senator Coffey and I urge Minister to adopt a number of the issues Senator Coffey has proposed. He has been reasonable and has tabled a well-crafted motion that raises many issues the Minister could well adopt.

I compliment the local authority staff in Castlebar and County Mayo. I am sure all local authority staff throughout the country could be equally complimented. They have done tremendous work in the last month, particularly in the very difficult weather conditions we experienced over the Christmas and the new year period. They worked tirelessly to bring water to many families, homes and businesses that were without water during Christmas and the new year.

In recent years, some very shabby work was carried out by developers and builders. We are now paying the cost for that in leakages, breakages and frozen pipes. This all goes back to standards and the standards that are provided and laid down by local authorities must be examined. It is the role of the Government through the Department to give the standards to the local authorities to implement at ground and grassroots level. Each local authority should employ a dedicated clerk of works to oversee the laying of water mains and connections to housing estates, single houses and businesses. This is because during the harsh weather conditions experienced over the Christmas and new year period, I have witnessed at first hand instances in which some pipes were laid underground shabbily. I witnessed one example in which two water mains were put in place through an electrical meter box via a mains on a street footpath. On another occasion, I saw how a water main was laid from the council mains into a housing estate on the tarmacadam but without being covered. Clearly no regulation had been applied in that case and this constituted shabby workmanship on the part of the developer, the builders or whoever. Surely someone should pay a price for this and I suggest that each local authority with statutory responsibility for water and sewage treatment should have to employ a clerk of works. Ultimately, the ratepayers and taxpayers must pick up the tab for the delivery of services to businesses, housing estates and single houses and, consequently, the Minister should take on board this proposal.

All Members are aware that some time ago, the Minister's predecessor gave the power to county managers to implement pricing controls over water and sewage treatment. From that perspective, different service levels and prices are evident nationwide. I note the Government amendment refers to its intention to begin a programme of domestic metering to be funded by the National Pensions Reserve Fund. While I have no great difficulty with such a proposal, the amendment also alludes to the establishment of an independent regulator for the water sector. What is the point of putting in place an independent regulator? As I stated, the county managers primarily are responsible at present. Most local authorities are comprised of committed local authority members of all parties and none. They are the watchdogs who have been doing tremendous work in overseeing, as well as in setting prices for the business community to pay. They do so while their hands are tied because the full control rests with the county managers. May I take it from the Government amendment stating its intention to establish an independent regulator for the water sector that such a person will take over part of the present role of the county manager? The current position in local authorities is that in the majority of cases of hardship or whatever that arise, local authority members bring them to the notice of the county manager. The manager frequently will take note of what is brought before him or her by the members and, if not, the matter will be raised again at the next local authority meeting. Is this really what is entailed in the proposal contained in the Government amendment?

I agree with Senator Coffey that an overall water board is required for control purposes and that the local authorities probably would be the agents used to carry out maintenance and so forth as they have the requisite expertise, as has been seen recently over the Christmas and new year period. I note the Minister intends to carry out an assessment in this regard. How long will this assessment period last and when does the Minister envisage that progress will be made in this respect?

Water undoubtedly is becoming an extremely scarce commodity and people are only too aware of the great worth and benefits of having fresh, clean drinking water delivered to their houses daily. When one is without it, one can truly miss it. In recent years, the Government's investment policy to deliver water has been implemented in the main through design, build and operate programmes. I question whether the best value has been obtained in this regard. While private money has been invested, a debate is required to ascertain what has been learned from the experiences of the design, build and operate schemes that are in place and being operated at present. I do not consider the design, build and operate model to be the best way forward as it is highly expensive and delivers highly expensive water to households. This debate should take place and the Minister might comment on the design, build and operate model of water delivery to the business community as well as to the many housing estates and single houses nationwide. I thank the Cathaoirleach for his indulgence and look forward to the Minister's response. He should take on board some of the proposals made by Senator Coffey.