Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

It is transferring responsibility in this area to consumers, who will have a choice. Moreover, the Government has built in protections in all things to date for consumers. It intends to change the entire transmission system of the way in which water, which is a precious resource, is dispensed nationwide. Deputy Martin is aware of the impact, economically, personally and socially, of what happened with the cryptosporidium case in Galway. He is familiar with the difficulties that arise when people receive notices that they are obliged to boil water. He is aware of the volumes of high-quality, pristine, safe and clean water that now are demanded in Ireland, where there are high levels of confidence for investment about which I hope to make a further announcement today. We cannot continue in the manner that obtained in the past, whereby 40% of the water from reservoirs never gets to the facilities or to those who are supposed to use it. The Government must deal with this problem and will deal with it in as fair, as equitable and as affordable a way as possible. There will be no charges until 2014. An assessment in respect of the level of investment that will be required in respect of the roll-out of water metering will commence very shortly.

Bord Gáis Éireann has been a public utility company for many years. It has a brilliant record in the context of dealing with consumers, the payment of bills, pipelines, business, enterprise, governance, etc. It and Bord na Móna submitted substantial proposals in respect of this matter in response to the Government's desire to retain Irish Water as a public utility in public ownership. Earlier this morning I heard Deputy Donnelly referring to tenders and contacts with a view to privatising Irish Water.

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