John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It was wrong of the Minister of State to say what he said because we have the right, in terms of the result of the previous election, to provide him with an opposition, about which he does not seem to worry too much in spite of the fact the Government was advised by professionals and the Opposition that Irish Water would not work.

The Tánaiste, in the course of the Order of Business, stated it would cost €2.5 billion to return the system of management of the water structure to the local authorities. I want to know from where that figure came. Would the Minister of State substantiate that figure line by line in order that we can understand it? The Government is throwing out loose facts and figures. They do not even know whether they are facts and figures, and they will not substantiate them, just as much as they did not know the cost of setting up Irish Water. We are where we are with Irish Water. Will the Minister of State request the Comptroller and Auditor General to examine the figures that have been put out by the Tánaiste for the cost of reversing the decision? Will he also ask the Comptroller and Auditor General to conduct a special report on the set-up cost of Irish Water?

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