Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)

I believe the polluter should pay, although that depends on how one defines a polluter. In trying to be completely holistic I am not even going to use paper in this debate so I do not damage the environment. Other Deputies will be punished for what they have done but I will not.

One should start paying after one pollutes. It appears that people will not be charged until their usage goes above a reasonable level. This way one ensures conservation. However, the Government is making a mistake in introducing a standing charge. As Deputy Donnelly noted, people are put to the pin of their collars when it comes to their household budgets. They have only €100 left at the end of the month and with increases in fuel prices and the cost of living they will not even have that much in two years' time. The Government has a clear roadmap for preventing pollution and waste but it will scupper its own plans if it introduces a charge for those who cannot afford it regardless of whether they are polluting. We are already paying for water through our general taxes. Clearly the entire cost of supplying water will not be covered by the savings generated through ensuring people do not go above a certain limit but the shortfall should be made up by higher earners rather than the weak, who will otherwise be threatened with having their water turned off.

It was pointed out earlier that 85% of the water supplied across the European Union is administered by local authorities. That is the best system for delivering water to end users but it will not work in Ireland as long as local government is unaccountable. I have not heard anyone suggest that we could reduce water leakage by changing the local authority system.

I have had the experience of attempting to get a water leak fixed under this flawed local authority system. As councillors have no power and the people they approach to get leaks fixed do not have to listen, a water leak approximately seven miles from my house ran like a bath for seven years.

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