Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

11 o’clock

When people speak about Irish Water, there is a sense of a lack of information and communication. When we hear Irish Water speak about off balance sheet borrowing, there is confusion. The ordinary person has no idea what off balance sheet borrowing means or could mean. It would allow Irish Water to borrow money to invest more money than the Government could on its own. It would mean an extra €100 million in the calendar years 2015 and 2016. After years of under-investment, and Deputy Tom Fleming eloquently told us about the lack of infrastructure development in Kerry, this would mean we would finally have a capital programme of €185 million for water infrastructure investment. This would include €22 million for water supply schemes, €73 million for major wastewater projects and €90 million for wastewater treatment. This is money that was never spent by Deputy Cowen's party when it was in government.

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