Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am not going to the other meeting because this one is very important. The focus of attention has been on water services but there are additional substantial issues at stake. If one wants confusion in terms of income stream versus expenditure stream – pardon the pun - then one must look to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Let us look at page 16 of the briefing document, for example. I have asked parliamentary questions and assembled information. The general purposes grant is slightly more than €275 million. There is a payment to the Exchequer of €600 million. That was provided for in the local government Bill. One could ask where the €600 million came from. We can see where the €490 million for water services comes from. People feel they have been conned on that because they have seen it is coming out of the property tax. I refer to the fact that it was advertised and people expected 80% would go to their individual local authorities. They are now asking what they are getting for it.