Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)

What would happen in the case of old housing estates in Carlow-Kilkenny, of which the Minister will be aware, and in many places throughout the State where there are pipes running at the back of houses, under garden sheds and under garden walls? Would one have to bulldoze one's way through garden sheds to try to get at these stopcocks to fit meters? These are real problems I am trying to point out to the Minister. I am trying to save him much head-on confrontation with residents. There will be many problems in trying to fit these. The senior engineer in Dublin City Council set out his stall in terms of the number of households in Dublin that cannot be fitted with meters, and he would know a thing or two about meters.

The Minister might address this issue. I have heard reports of these meters being installed in 18 months or two years. Is the Minister aware that across the water in England, there are parts that have not yet got meters? I spoke to somebody who worked in water services in England for ten years.

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