Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

Today the Tánaiste intends ramming the Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011, or the septic tank Bill as it is known, through the House, a measure that will impose great hardship on citizens. The use of the guillotine to rush this measure through is cynical. The Tánaiste said he was open to constructive suggestions in respect of any proposals, but in this case he is rushing the legislation through without having taken or considered the very constructive and fair amendments tabled by Members. I am aware that what is happening today stems from a failure of successive Governments involving Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Labour Party to comply with the 1975 EU directive. Unfortunately, what the Dáil is telling rural Ireland today is that it is the people who will pay for the failure of politics. This legislation should not go through without the full standards by which septic tanks will be assessed being agreed, published and understood, because in its absence, fear and panic has spread throughout rural Ireland.

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