Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste indicated her confidence in the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, and the gusto with which he has approached his job. That is interesting. It is a kick in the shin for the Taoiseach for his comments yesterday.

It was more than a thinly veiled criticism of the European Commissioner, Mr. Phil Hogan, and one on which I ask the Tánaiste to ponder because the former Minister, Mr. Hogan, deserves the support of everyone in the House.

No one has a problem with the notion that there are costs associated with treating water and sewage - that is a given. My concern is that the economic management council is using a patchwork approach to a problem that has spiralled out of control.

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