Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to make a brief contribution to the debate. There is little doubt that establishing Irish Water as a commercial company has been one of the most serious issues to face the Government in its term of office, having dealt with our financial crisis. The coalition partners have set out a path to recovery following the exit from the troika arrangement. By the time the Government took office, charging the people for water was a done deal and, therefore, it is unseemly that Fianna Fail Members now seek the moral high ground, sitting back as if they bear no responsibility for what has been visited on the people. Sinn Féin's two-faced approach to policies is evident, both North and South. The party hierarchy say quietly they will pay the water charges while using the people as cannon fodder in this phoney war. As for the Independent Members who form the Technical Group, woe betide Ireland should they ever attain office. They cannot even agree among themselves who can speak, on what and when, as was evident when they brought about the adjournment of the House.

The set-up of this commercial semi-State company has not been without serious problems. The unprecedented volume of queries that has emerged and the inability of Irish Water to give the correct or, at times, any advice, to people are evident to all. I hear every day of people who are in fear of the average being applied to them, when there is scant information on what this average is based. People who make weekly payments towards their gas and electric utility bills want to pay their water charges in the same way, and I have requested the Minister to ascertain whether this can be delivered. These people and others, including the elderly, the vulnerable and the sick, are not clear on which allowances will apply to them when their special requirements are taken into account, but they have a justifiable reason for additional allowances. Irish Water has been allowed for too long to escape responsibility for providing an effective customer service model through which people can know and expect that the information given to them is correct and can be provided to them at the earliest opportunity.

While the national focus is on water, a transparent customer service charter and a system of timely and targeted delivery are needed. The Government has delivered on its commitments in respect of children, free allowances, tax reliefs and water support allowances for those in receipt of the household benefits packages and fuel vouchers; exceptional needs payments access to supports for the vulnerable and socially deprived; rebates to those who move from assessed to metered, where appropriate; discounts of 100% on the water element of the charge where the water quality is impaired; and a free first fix where a leak occurs between the boundary and the dwelling.

The Government has delivered an economy that is the envy of Europe. It has delivered a net increase of 61,000 jobs in 2013, which was the fastest rate of employment growth in the EU or the OECD. We need to do a job and I agree with Deputy Nolan that we have a limited time to get Irish Water sorted out in order that the people can have confidence in that utility.

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