Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I am replying to the debate.

If the Victorians could deliver clean water to towns and cities when this country was under British rule in the 19th century, it is not unreasonable to ask that, in the 21st century, the Government of this independent State should be able to deliver and guarantee to people that they will have a good quality water supply.

The Minister is standing back from the issue — we are getting this over and over again from the Government. It takes responsibility for nothing. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government does not want responsibility for delivering clean water to people and the Minister for Education and Science does not want responsibility for the schools, as she has indicated that boards of management are responsible. The Minister for Health and Children does not want to take responsibility for the hospitals as the issue is now under the Health Service Executive.

Nobody on the Government benches is taking responsibility for anything but it wants to take the credit for everything. There is always a Minister present for an opening, and the Minister is a great man for pipes. As for the single-model PPP, the Minister is a two-model man from what I have read recently in newspapers. The Minister cannot always take credit without taking responsibility for delivering as well.

This is a critical amendment looking to ensure that people of this country have a legal right to water. It is a very fundamental question and I ask that the amendment be put to the House.

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