Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is a very large amount of money and we need to do something about it. We also need to ensure people have confidence the money they pay is used properly and there is accountability.

For example, the Committee of Public Accounts for which people have genuine respect in terms of its ability to hold organisations to account will not have a remit over Irish Water despite the hundreds of millions of euro the State will put into it. We need to remedy that and put in place proper Oireachtas oversight so that we can have a committee that will go through the fine details to ensure our money is being spent properly.

If we do not do this now, there is a real risk that we will lose the ability to put in place Irish Water, which we need. We need to invest in water. Just because things are starting to get better, it does not mean we are out of the crisis and that we suddenly have billions of euro to spend; we do not. We need this leverage to put in place the things to allow us to have proper water - the infrastructure and other things we need as a functioning economy and society. However, if we do not get it right very shortly, I fear for where we will be in a number of months.

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