Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

Ireland was roundly condemned in the European Court of Justice in October 2009, during the Deputy's time as part of the Government, but nothing was done. The confusion arose from people like Deputy Ó Cuív, Ms Marian Harkin, MEP, and the IFA, who all voiced the opinion that I intended to introduce a notional charge of €300 per annum for annual inspection and maintenance. I never said anything of the sort or conveyed that view.

I am disappointed there is no wholehearted support for what I am trying to do in ensuring groundwater quality on a risk-based assessment model is being implemented. Nobody wants to see cryptosporidium in Galway or rural and urban households forced to buy bottled water from shops because of poor quality groundwater. That has been the case in many instances.

Deputy Collins was not embroiled to any great extent in this controversy and at least he knew what he was talking about. Deputy Ó Cuív should know, as a former member of a Government, what he signed up to in the revised Fianna Fáil and Green Party programme for Government of 2009. It stated: "We will introduce a scheme for the licensing and inspection of septic tanks and wastewater treatment systems". Has he had a loss of memory? It was not unusual in Fianna Fáil to have loss of memory over the years but I am surprised that a grandson of one of the founders of the party would have lost his memory to the extent-----

See this speech in context