Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. However, he has merely restated much of what I said at the outset. We are already aware that the Government is obliged to make proposals regarding the free water allowance and the level of Exchequer subvention that will apply to Irish Water. That, as the Minister has said, will form the basis of a mechanism by which we might be able to deduce the sort of costs that will be borne by consumers in January when they get their first bill. When exactly will the Minister submit his proposals? When he says "shortly", what does he mean? We have heard different dates mooted in the media and elsewhere and it is rumoured that the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party will be made aware of the charges that may apply before everyone else. It is imperative at this stage to bring clarity to the situation. A definitive roadmap must be put into the public domain. When will the Minister submit the necessary information to CER? Will the Minister make that information public and will he assure me that it will be in the public domain prior to 23 May?

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