Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

As the Deputy will be aware, that decision was made by a previous Government but what we have done here is to supplement the moneys from the NPRF through the PCAR system where we have borrowed to put a foundation in place for banks. The roll-out of this system under Irish Water will provide a unified, unitary, single transmission system of high quality where the exceptional losses through wastage, leakage, broken pipes and different systems operating throughout the local authorities and town councils will be brought under a single high standard and high quality system. That will be good for the consumer, for business and for the country. We recognise the scale of the mess that was left before that was never attended to where, as I said to Deputy Martin earlier, a major scam was perpetrated on the Irish people - that it could be assumed free services could be delivered on the backs of taxes coming from property speculation. When that collapsed, the system collapsed along with it. We must deal with that and will do so in as fair, as equitable and as affordable a way as we can.

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