Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want that clarity and certainty, as does everybody else here, and we expect to get it. If the debate takes a week or a month we will wait for it. As I said earlier, in case the Taoiseach did not hear, I want to see the detailed analysis of what is required, how it will be done and the associated costs. The Taoiseach is on the record as saying one week it will cost €20 billion and the next week it will cost €10 billion. He has had 11 months to figure out what it should cost, and I expect he will clarify that before the debate concludes.

I appeal to the Government to halt the proposals for Irish Water and the water services proposals it has laid before the House. As regards the Eurostat test, I am conscious of the on balance sheet and off balance sheet charade to which we have been listening in recent weeks and months. The bottom line is that the Government has to guarantee it, so the people have to guarantee it. That is the important point that should not be lost on anyone.

On Monday evening's "Prime Time" programme, the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, was put out to bat on behalf of the Government, having had the leaks in the weekend media. To be honest, I thought he was less than sure-footed and less than committed to stating that there would be enough funding available under that model for future work to be done to rectify the system, leave it fit for purpose and then allow people to make a fair and equitable contribution. That worries me and it should also worry the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, because he is the one who is supposed to be straight. He is the one who tells it as it is and who is held up as shooting from the hip, but he was very subdued on Monday.

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