Sean Barrett (Independent)
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The other point that arose was about water charges. We tried to establish the price of water and the generous free allowance. There should be some consumer representation, and some people wanted the local authorities that had been performing that job up to now just to have representation.

I believe the meters will cost €600 million. In the UK, only a third to 40% of premises are metered. Why do we need meters if we know some people's consumption will be tiny, with only one person living in the house? Also, the fact that 40% of treated water goes to waste was being attributed to the consumers rather than to the engineers. I believe it was Ben Dunne who said that a person who owned a shop from which 40% of the stock was disappearing would not blame the customers but would investigate what was happening.

Many unsatisfactory things have happened with regard to water. We have heard a projected charge of €240 per household. Is that the number Ms Fahy is working on? We did not do it well, and that is the collective responsibility of everybody. The principle Dr. Hannon mentioned is sound, but we went all around the houses to do it. What would Ms Fahy recommend at this late stage? The Commission for Energy Regulation is looking at it. I do not know if anybody has made submissions. We still do not know what we will be putting before the public. What would the witnesses recommend?