Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

The Government parties appear to be trying to intimate that in some way those who are opposed to the legislation do not care about water quality. They know that is nonsense. Those of us who live in rural areas are conscious of the need to have pure water.

We are concerned about the Bill because it represents a further attack on those who live in rural communities. In Sligo, Leitrim and elsewhere, the legislation is seen as but another way to undermine those communities. As Deputy Martin Ferris stated, we have witnessed the reduction of bus services in rural areas. In Sligo, airport services have been reduced. In addition, many post offices and shops have closed and public long-stay nursing homes in rural areas are under threat of closure. I could go on and on in this regard.

There has been a great deal of discussion with regard to the previous Administration and much of it is extremely accurate. Those in government may not have stopped to consider a particular fact. It is that following its drubbing in the recent general election, Fianna Fáil resembled the dead parrot in the famous Monty Python sketch. However, this issue has clearly given that party a new lease of life. That Fianna Fáil would have done exactly what the current Government is doing is neither here nor there. It is, however, a tribute to those in Government that they have managed to breathe a vestige of renewed vigour into the parrot that is Fianna Fáil.

Deputy Martin Ferris referred the numerous public meetings that have taken place in respect of this matter. I have attended many such meetings. It might be salutary for some members of the Government, in particular, the Labour Party, to attend - I would caution that they need to go in disguise - some of these meetings to witness the anger. I single out the Labour Party, in particular, because if it is not careful, it will find itself tainted with the same anti-rural aura that was once proudly borne by the Green Party in a previous Administration, as the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, will recall, when it was planning to stop people building and engaging in rural sports. One matter for which we should be thankful is that it was consigned to the septic tank of history before it got around to banning hurling and the national ploughing championship.

If any of the Government backbenchers or Ministers happen to attend some of these meetings they will experience the deep anger that exists on this issue. It is not that people do not want clean water but all of this is related to the overall assault on our society in the interests of Anglo Irish Bank bondholders and the IMF. There are choices being made on how money will be spent. It will not be spent on infrastructure to help people to have pure water. It is being spent on Anglo Irish Bank bondholders and the IMF, but this time it represents a targeting of people who happen to live in rural areas and it is unfair.

What is particularly annoying is that people have already paid to install their septic tanks. They installed them in accordance with the specifications laid down and they got planning permission for them. Those who went by the book are now being told they must pay to register, pay for an inspection or inspections, and pay to replace or to repair. At the same time the Government cannot go back to somebody who was awarded a pension two years ago and renegotiate it because it says to do would be unconstitutional. Yet, it can screw the person who did everything by the book ten, five or two years ago.

I have seen no scientific data to show where, whether or to what extent septic tanks were or are damaging water supplies in Ireland. I am not saying that data does not exist. I am merely saying that I have not seen it. I presume the Minister of State has seen it. I presume it exists and I would like to see a copy of it, if that could be arranged.

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