Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I will remind Deputy Morgan of what section 105(1) of the Bill states:

105.—(1) A water services authority shall not charge for water supplied to or discharged by—

(a) a household, which is used by that household for domestic purposes, or

(b) a person, other than another water services authority, providing water services to a household for domestic purposes.

It could not be clearer. The Deputy referred to section 72, which deals with the provision of meters. Meters, other than domestic meters, are charged for. If a meter is installed at a commercial premises, including an agricultural holding, a charge is imposed.

I will take this opportunity to address the concern expressed earlier by Deputy Connaughton that a farmer with seven disjointed holdings might have to pay for seven meters. That has not been the case since earlier this year, when I introduced a specific prohibition on the imposition of such multiple charges. Under the new system, a farmer has to pay for the first meter in full, for a portion of the cost of the second meter and for a smaller portion of the cost of the third meter. He will not pay for more than 1.8 meters in total. If one is running a large multinational company, there is no reason in God's earthly world the taxpayer should pay for the provision of one's meter.

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