Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputies opposite for putting down this motion. I listened to the debate with great interest.

I must clarify some issues, for the benefit of everyone in the country. While water may fall from the sky, it does not get into our taps very easily. There are significant costs attached to the 956 separate public water supply zones in Ireland. Of those 956 public water supplies the Environmental Protection Agency reports that there is some risk attaching to 264 supplies and they are on the remedial action list. This means that steps must be taken to improve the quality of water. In many cases action must be taken with regard to cryptosporidium and the treatment of the water must be changed. It is very expensive to do that. There are, currently, 17 boil water notices in effect in different parts of the country and 18 other water restrictions are in place.

Water is a significant problem and it is important that we provide the best and highest quality water we can. The cost of that to a household is what the water charge will be. It is made very clear in the programme for Government, signed up to by both Fine Gael and the Labour Party, that there will be a free allowance. It is above the free allowance that there will be a charge. We are particularly conscious of the needs of low income households.

A 300 ml bottle of water with a bit of ice costs approximately €2.50 in a public house. Local authorities supply 1,000 litres of water to households for €2.50, about the same price as a bottle of water. Local authorities are providing an outstanding supply of clean water 24 hours a day and seven days a week. We are getting very good value for money. To improve our water supply and our waste water treatment, which is a significant and increasingly expensive issue, we must make up the difference in cost. In the last nine years, approximately €3.4 billion was spent on improving the country's water supplies.

We want to continue that. This year I understand the budget is approximately €437 million. While it is less in absolute terms, we are getting more done for it. We need to get the money from somewhere. Notwithstanding the points Sinn Féin Deputies make, from where will the money come to improve our water supply system especially with the need to meet increasingly high standards required as a result of EU directives on water quality? It must come from somewhere and the only place to get it is from the ordinary household.

Deputy Doherty can shake his head but this is the reality. We cannot all walk into a bank and get the money just like that. We need to pay for it and it must come from somewhere. Sinn Féin is avoiding the issue of where to get the money.

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