Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach is right in saying something must be done in respect of the provision of water services, and not just for the city of Dublin. He is correct that the current system is leaking like a sieve and, as a result, there is huge wastage. The initiative and the stance taken by the Government have nothing to do with that because, if his concern was water preservation, the Government would have invested the €700 million spent on the establishment of Irish Water on remedial works for the infrastructure. It has not done so. This is simply a mechanism to raise more revenue and stick the Government's hand in the pockets of families the length and breadth of the State, despite the Taoiseach's honeyed rhetoric of recent times.

There is clearly a concern in respect of the pension liability. Nobody is suggesting for a minute that all those liabilities would be crystalised in a week or a month but it does warrant some explanation to the local authority as to why it would carry any liability for those pensions if workers work for Irish Water and are no longer contracted to the local authority. It is extremely worrying that the council has not had sight of the service level agreement, and that is a reflection of the very rushed approach the Government has taken in all these matters. Let it not go without comment that All Stages of this legislation are to be taken by the Dáil in two days this week. This is very complex legislation, even for those who propose it, because of the transfer of assets, and it is quite astonishing and unacceptable for the Government to rush legislation like this in this manner.

There is no time for proper scrutiny or consideration but that is the game plan. It has been the game plan of the Taoiseach and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, from the get go to force these matters through. It was done with the property tax and it is to be done again with water charges. The Taoiseach has argued it is for the betterment of society and in the best interest of the citizen but in reality it is just a smash-and-grab, a cheap pickpocketing of taxpayers and citizens once again.

In the interest of having good legislation and out of respect for the people elected to this place and those elected to Dublin City Council, will the Government pull back on this legislation and at least pause for proper consideration? I ask the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to meet the delegation of Dublin city councillors to hear first-hand their concerns. I understand he was a no-show at a meeting last evening but it would be appropriate for him to meet the directly elected representatives of this city. The citizens elect these people and it would be only proper for the Minister to make himself available to them.

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