Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will not go over any old wounds. I have been present for a few hours, I left for an hour and I am back again. The consultancy and PR fees beggar belief. I cannot get my head around it. It cannot be justified. Mr. John Tierney and his colleagues have made an effort to do it but the wider populace, including myself, gets it hard.

Other utilities, for example, Telecom Éireann, ESB, Bord Gáis have annual fixed charges, which they charge on their accounts. For example, the ESB charge in rural areas is based on the size of the house, while in urban areas it is based on the number of rooms in the house. It is an annual fixed charge that it pays the utility concerned and whether it uses a unit, it gets a minimum fixed charge. I forget the terminology. Will Uisce Éireann have a fixed charge? People are being asked to fix their leaks and to conserve water. No doubt we will return to the two or three 40 gallon barrels outside the back door to collect the rainwater running off the roof.

Will the cost of water per unit be more expensive to somebody who tries to conserve it, perhaps by not flushing the toilet as often as one might otherwise do? Will Uisce Éireann have a basic charge irrespective of whether one uses water or not? It is not realistic not to use one's telephone or electricity. Will there be an added charge?

Let me refer to the question of the €539 million. I have rounded this figure off to €540 million. Am I correct in stating 1,700,000 households require meters?