Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the Revised Estimates and the money the Minister will spend on Irish Water, does he think he will get good value given that it is being run by a man called John Tierney who in the past has been described as weak on financial management? In a project he was involved in there needed to be evidence of much more comprehensive oversight in monitoring and controlling expenditure. Can the Minister comment on that because people are not necessarily experts on IT systems or on whether one can get €1,000 or €2,000 a day as a consultant. All they can go on is whether they are confident in the person who is running it. The Minister must be aware of Mr. Tierney's past record. Why is he still in the job?

Have some of the people on whom the Minister is spending this money already received money from the local authorities through retirement packages? If so, how much have they received? An important question that was not asked of Irish Water is whether we will be able to drink the water and what systems are being implemented so that local authorities do not continue to investigate themselves.

The Minister has informed us that if someone is aware that there is a possible problem with his or her septic tank and does not do something about it, he or she is committing a criminal act. If people do not have money to do something about it, can they apply for a grant or do they need to come out of the tombola, have their tank tested and fail it, following which they are then entitled to a grant?

On the issue of solutions to our water pollution problems, what beginning-of-pipe solutions is the Minister considering? There is a problem with testing the septic tanks. Has the Minister examined the idea of locally run, community-based anaerobic digesters for animal waste as a solution to the problem that the only way the Government can secure drinkable water is if it doses the water with chlorine and numerous other chemicals? It passes the test but, bar swimming in it, it does not seem to be much use to us. The Minister will come up with some system that will solve all this. If we cannot drink the water, will we have to pay for it again? We are already paying for it through general taxation.

I will be very pleased if freedom of information legislation is to apply in this area but it is a little inconsistent with another semi-State entity, Coillte. If would be easier to get information out of the Kremlin. The Minister is running the country and does not seem to be too bothered about the fact that there is no freedom of information.