Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I put it to the Tánaiste that there is mounting concern and, indeed, anxiety and fear among many people in regard to the prospect of water charges, which are coming in next month. That concern is genuine and many people will be hearing it on the doorsteps in particular.

There is also a lot of confusion. The Taoiseach said originally that the average cost would be about €240 but we now know the regulator has upped that by 20% to €278. The Taoiseach said children would be free but we now know that is not the case. They will not be free. They will have a daily shower and one daily toilet flush - that is what children are getting. We know that a family with two children over 18 years of age in full-time education could be paying up to €594, which will have a very severe impact on families in that cohort.

Yesterday, I raised the issue of the boil-water notices and how incomprehensible I find it that people who have contaminated water coming in will have to pay for it, in essence, notwithstanding a basic principle that people should not have to pay for water that is contaminated. This morning we learned, courtesy of the Irish Independent, that people with medical conditions have not been provided for in any distinct way. I would appreciate clarity on that. Apparently, the Government has failed to draw up a list of specific ailments which would allow people to qualify for subsidised bills, given they would have particular medical conditions. We have had numerous parliamentary questions and replies from the former Minister, Mr. Hogan, and the Minister for Health saying they would be drawing up such arrangements or that there would be consultations. We have people in apartment blocks who are already paying up to €1,000 or €1,500 in management fees, who feel they are already paying for services and that they will be paying on the double.

The fundamental question I put to the Tánaiste is this. We had the Nevin Institute in with us recently and its representatives said the charges system the Government is bringing in, based on volume, is regressive and will impact disproportionately on lower income groups. Throughout the Government structure, there is no linkage to ability to pay and no linkage to income. Irrespective of how low a person's income is, they are expected to pay it. As a minimum, will the Government review the structures it has introduced and put in place an ability to pay framework?

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