Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, shames herself coming in here today and engaging in deliberate obfuscation and giving me the whole policy that I did not ask for and that I am aware of. She singularly failed to address the key issue I raised, which is, that an allowance of 38,000 litres a year for an under 18 year old does not amount to what she called "free" water for children - those under 18 years. I have quoted the Department's study to prove that. Will she address that? That is the only point I want addressed.

I am aware of all the other stuff and what a considerable burden this will be for families. In two or three years, when EU policy and the Government's neoconservative policies come into effect and the subsidy from central taxation is removed, the price of water for families will shoot up. Of course, we hope to build a movement of opposition that will force the abolition of this progressive and reactionary tax on households.

I need the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, since she was deputised by the senior Minister, Deputy Hogan, to come in here today, to answer the net point. Why does she state that 38,000 litres per year is so-called "free" water for those under 18 years when the Department's own study shows that a 17 year old will use on average 54,000 litres and, in the best possible circumstances, would also in 16 years' time be way over that limit? It is simple. I ask her to clarify.

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