Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will leave it for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to explain Leader and the new integrated community and enterprise structures in detail. It is, however, a good idea. I was involved in the initial modelling under the better local government programme of extending the umbrella between local authorities and community development groups. That was an important step and there must be better integration and coordination now when resources are scarce.

That is a good strategy. I raised the issue on Irish Water for the very reason on which the Deputy has expounded. We must adopt a view on it. I do not want to justify things but it is not unreasonable that a local authority might take a view that we are not spending our own money to draw down additional money on important water projects, whether sewerage or clean water initiatives. We need to overcome that until Irish Water is fully up and running and takes over the service. The discussions are ongoing but it could be usefully developed with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.

It is odd for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to be pushing people to spend money but we need to spend money in this area. It is important that there is a smooth transition from the local authority structure of providing water services to the services provided by the integrated Irish Water. There is a requirement at local level for matching funding.