Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I do not wish to prolong the debate on the section because the issues at stake are quite clear. I wish to move on to other important aspects of the Bill. As the Minister is aware, I set out my stall in detail at the outset as to the issues about which I have concerns. The Minister should explain the purpose of the charge to Members. He has stated its purpose is to pay for the cost of administering the legislation. However, if this is a once-off charge of €50, particularly when one takes into account that only a small proportion of houses built annually are one-off housing with private waste water systems, it is clear that no continuous income stream has been provided. Even the first flush of money, relative to the cost of implementing all this, will be very small. Therefore, the Minister should elucidate further on the purpose of the charge.

If 5,000 one-off houses were built throughout the country in the next six years, this would mean that approximately €10,000 would flow into the coffers of individual county councils. What is the purpose of the fee? If the fee is designed to provide the money necessary to run the system, then it will clearly not be adequate. Whereas I accept everything the Minister says to the effect that it can only be changed by means of primary legislation, most Departments are aware that it is easier to change a figure than it is to include a new section in legislation.

I cannot understand why those who have provided for themselves and borne all the relevant costs to date are the only citizens who will be obliged to pay the fee. Those who have everything done for them by the State are not being asked to pay it. That is execrable. I ask the Minister to reconsider the position and do the right thing in order that we might resolve this issue. When the previous Government was in power, the Minister, a member of the Green Party, probably drafted proposals but no decision was taken on such proposals by that Administration.

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