Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government created the mess. Listening to the Taoiseach's answers, I am reminded of Flann O'Brien who would be stretched to write such creative pieces of prose.

I asked the Taoiseach about insurance companies' proposals to limit liability but he did not answer it. I have a further question. The Taoiseach will recall that the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, was forced to abandon the threat by former Minister, Phil Hogan, that those who could not or would not pay the water tax would have their water reduced to a trickle. I recall the Taoiseach also saying that to me here. That seems to have gone away. However, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, has refused to rule out the option of the Revenue Commissioners going after those citizens who cannot pay water charges. The Taoiseach has also failed to rule out the Department of Social Protection deducting water charges from people's social welfare payments. Perhaps the Taoiseach, who continually speaks about clarity and the need for it, would take this opportunity to clear up this issue today. Will the Taoiseach state, with the clarity he espouses, that under no circumstances will the Government use the threat of the Revenue Commissioners to take money from people's hard earned wages to pay the water tax?

Will he also say with the transparency, clarity and clearness of which he is so praiseworthy that those in receipt of social welfare will not have money taken directly from their payments to pay his unwanted, unjust and widely rejected tax.

See this speech in context