Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to speak on this Bill and I thank the Minister of State for the Christmas present that he gave out in his speech for the people of south Tipperary. Unfortunately, it is not a Christmas present and it has been delivered several Christmases before now. In fact, that money has been announced and announced and announced since 1988. When is the contract? We will welcome the Minister - I call him Big Phil - down to Tipperary to sign that contract to install the facility. We will even give him a hand because we have to get it before it goes into Irish Water.

I fundamentally disagree with the whole concept of Irish Water. The only thing I like about it is the name, Uisce Éireann. Other than that, we are going into the unknown and into oblivion. As far as I can see, it is a rest home for former county managers. There are already three of them in the agency. They are retired and on pensions and now they have moved to Irish Water, and many more will follow. There is no transparency at all to it.

Why are people in my county on boil notice for seven or eight years? They are going to be billed for water and will be expected to pay it as that it what is in the legislation. The Minister of State might be in a different Department but we will be left with this situation. These people will not pay. Why should they pay for water that they cannot drink? I know that somebody brought samples in here today. Skeheenarinky National School is one of the oldest primary schools in the country, and it is on boil water notice. Why is that school expected to pay? The whole water infrastructure has been hijacked and sold off. It will go into private hands and we will be like Bord Gáis, with contractors who are not up to scratch and we will suffer for that. It is just like the HSE and many other things we set up, with no accountability.

I want to pay tribute to the water staff in South Tipperary County Council, especially the caretakers, who know where every stopcock and pipe is. These new lads will not know where to find the reservoirs, not to mind a set of pipes. Local knowledge is vital. Under this memorandum of understanding, the Government is transferring ownership to Uisce Éireann. It is a lethal weapon. Like Deputy Naughten, I appeal to the Minister of State to put this off. I know the Minister cannot find reverse gear, but he reversed over the septic tanks issue. The Government made a show of the whole country and made a show of itself. Now only 29 tanks are being inspected in Tipperary, even though the Minister frightened the life out of people and told them they would not get a grant.

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