Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It and the DUP have put forward that budget, which will shortly be implemented. Of course, even at that stage, Northern Ireland is supported by approximately Stg£2,500 per annum per citizen from the United Kingdom.

First, Sinn Féin members have no problem with funding coming from England or from the United Kingdom and, second, they are complaining that everything that is introduced in Northern Ireland is not of their doing but is the doing of the British Government. Now, they have signed up with the DUP to put forward a budget that has 11% cuts right across the board at a time when the level of poverty in Northern Ireland is higher than that in the Republic. They are certainly very hypocritical in coming forward here and talking about the poorest people in the country when we see what they are doing in Northern Ireland, where they are in power.

As I have said in this House previously, there is no doubt that many mistakes have been made in regard to the establishment of Irish Water, the manner in which it was communicated and the lack of communication with the people. There is much concern abroad about the costs, PPS numbers, privatisation and payment. These are issues that have been brought to our attention and they have brought people out in unprecedented numbers to march on the streets. However, we did promise we would listen to what people have to say and we did promise we would do our damnedest to deal with the matter and come up with a solution.

There are some in this House and outside it who do not want a solution. A solution is anathema to them because their whole policy is not based on ideology but on protest - protest first and last. People like that will never be happy with the situation. We have seen that one Deputy in the House has described the imprisonment of the Tánaiste for nearly three hours as a peaceful protest when it was in fact imprisonment of the second highest officer in this Government.

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