Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Of the €46 million generated by Irish Water, two counties receive zero compensation. Some counties will lose out significantly on this apportionment if it is done on a population basis because until now, the valuations have been done on the basis of the assets in each county. What will happen if there is a gap between the revenues in the counties?

Before the Minister comes in, I want the witnesses to help me get my head around half of the letters of the alphabet in amendment No. 15. I assume these are related to global valuations and national valuations that happen in the same year. For the life of me, I still cannot work it out. The Department has used 11 letters of the alphabet to come up with a formula that is mind-boggling, to say the least. I presume the purpose is to protect counties which have a global revaluation and a national revaluation in the same year. If nothing is done, they would lose out on the global revaluation but I do not know why we need a formula with 11 characters in it to try to calculate it. The simple approach would be to take the complete valuation out of the equation along with its revenue, deal with what is left over and then add it all back together in order that the county would get the benefit. I have not tried to work out the figures A to K because I lost the will to live and I do not want the land the Minister in it when he comes in.

I have concerns about Irish Water and about what exactly is happening here because I honestly lost the will to continue. I got as far as F before deciding I had enough. I just could not work it out. Will the officials explain exactly how the formula should be worked out using A to K and what steps are taken?