Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

notes:— the commitment of the Taoiseach to inform the Houses of the Oireachtas of the standard level of water charges prior to the 23 May election; and

— protracted Government delays in providing information to the public and the Commission for Energy Regulation in regard to the level of free allowance, low income household subvention, rebates, first fix policy and ongoing total level of public subvention;further notes:— that the Central Statistics Office calculated an average bill of €240 per household based on current public expenditure subvention levels;

— reports of an average €50 standing charge per household regardless of water use; and

— that just one out of four houses will be metered by the time charges will be introduced, leaving over one million households without meters facing fixed bills;condemns the:— cynical, politically motivated delay of information on what level of water charges households will have to pay;

— failure to outline how unmetered households will be charged;

— lack of consideration being given to ability to pay; and

— unsustainable burden of a water tax being placed at this time on homeowners in addition to a doubling of the property tax on the family home and other stealth taxes;

andcalls and agrees that:— the Government should publish the full details of its water charges policy before 23 May so that homeowners are made fully aware of the costs they face;

— any water pricing system should be introduced only after the water infrastructure is made fit for purpose, and must encompass the ability to pay of low income households, differential water usage by individuals with special needs such as medical requirements and large families; and

— rebates should be considered and disclosed for properties that will not be metered prior to the introduction of charges.

I intend to share time with Deputies Michael McGrath, Niall Collins and Browne. I apologise on behalf of my colleague Deputy Barry Cowen, who has a family commitment this evening. He assures me and he is keen to assure the Minister that he will be here in fine fettle tomorrow night.

Despite the big announcement and the drama and spin today, there are still serious questions this evening over the Government's water charges regime as well as the long-term implications for users, families, taxpayers and those on low and fixed incomes.

We welcome the fact that this motion finally forced the Government, particularly the Labour Party, to come clean on their charges. I know it was the ambition of the Government, and the Labour Party in particular, to avoid having to do that ahead of the local and European elections. Anyway, substantial questions remain and this evening's announcement is not the end of the matter. We still do not know the precise charges that will apply to hard-pressed families and water users throughout the country. The €240 is an estimate and gives no certainty to anyone. I gather we will have to wait until August.

Despite all of the political pirouetting of recent weeks, this is the figure that Labour promised Fine Gael would deliver in 2011. At least it is an election promise that Labour has kept.

There is no guarantee of service and there is a vague commitment on capital investment. Despite Government assertions of underinvestment, during our time in government €2 billion was invested in water services. That investment was made through local authorities around the country, many of which were controlled by the Minister's party and Labour. The criticisms by Fine Gael backbenchers of the inefficiencies of that investment can be left at their door.

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