Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Section 25 deals with the removal of the prohibition on charging in previous legislation. That is the concern. We are turning a corner here. After a long campaign domestic water charges were abolished in the early 1990s on the basis that the charge for them was already incorporated in existing taxation. Nothing has changed since then. In fact, there have been many new methods of taxation and increased taxation, particularly value added tax, other stealth charges and local authority charges. It is regrettable that if this legislation sails through, so to speak, this section will supersede the legislation introduced in the early 1990s.

Almost half of commercial water rates are not paid. We gladly pay commercial water rates in our house because it is for a business. The business uses water for profitable purposes and the water should be paid for. We pay for water in and water out. It is the polluter pays principle, with which I agree, but 48% of commercial water rates remain uncollected.