Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Absolutely. I presume the Minister's reason could be challenged in the court. I am just looking at possible conflicts.

The other important issue is a subject close to my heart and to the hearts of all of the people in the country who are marching, which is the powers of Irish Water and how it relates to the provisions of the Bill. One of the key difficulties which I thought about a great deal when I was Minister of State was the question of the relationship between the planning authorities and Irish Water. Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

The question is who decides where strategic planning takes place. Will it be Irish Water when it sets out its national programme? I know Mr. Cussen is shaking his head but I will query that, if he does not mind. If there is a significant investment programme of €60 million or €100 million, Irish Water may have to decide where the needs arise. They may decide to invest in the greater Dublin area, but if the Dublin local authorities have not planned enough housing or services, then that investment will theoretically come to nothing. Alternatively, if elected councillors in Killarney or Drogheda decide to zone 200 acres of land there and insist on a huge new industrial development zone, that would not make sense either. The key issue is striking a balance between the critical strategic investment that Irish Water will have to make and the wisdom of local authorities that want to develop their own areas.

I note that when Mr. Cussen commented on the spatial strategy, he said there were three regional committees. Would they be the primary movers in the spatial strategy? Is it from the bottom up or from the region down?