Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is clear that the Government has lost the trust of many people. The people are saying they do not believe Irish Water will not be privatised, that they do not believe this is about conservation or the upgrading of water infrastructure and that they are certainly not fooled by the Government's offer outlined in the motion. They are not fooled by the attempt to lure them with the bargain rhetoric - "when they're gone, they're gone; buy now, pay later." Unfortunately, "pay a lot more later" is what it usually means. They are saying they feel let down. That was the response we were getting on the doorsteps in the recent by-election in Dublin South-West. People were saying they were angry, rightly so. They see this as unfair and unjust, as a double tax on households and that they have not experienced the so-called recovery. If the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, had listened to what people were saying, he would know that they are not seeing the recovery in their own lives.

The Taoiseach has said he expects people to move on following his bargain offer. I genuinely doubt that is going to happen. Controversy has followed controversy and confusion has been followed by confused responses. I will give an example to the House. Under the new changes, a young working adult living alone will have his or her annual water charge capped at €60, as the Minister told us. However, we then have the strange situation where two senior citizens living together will have to pay €160, which works out at €20 more per person. The question many in that situation will be asking is: "Why?" If this debate is about providing clarity and clearing up the confusion, perhaps one of the Ministers might come back with an answer.

The Minister also announced that he would be introducing legislation to allow landlords to deduct water charges from a tenant's deposit. Giving legislative power to landlords to act as debt collectors is a very dangerous development. Private landlords should not be involved in the collection of water taxes for Irish Water. What will happen next? Unscrupulous landlords will up deposits, putting them beyond the reach of many. In the midst of one of the worst housing crises the State has seen and a huge increase in homelessness, the Government is turning to private landlords to collect water taxes.

Will the Minister comment on a memo sent by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to all local authority housing managers yesterday, allegedly telling them they were required by law to recover amounts owed to Irish Water in unpaid bills by council tenants and forward outstanding payments to Irish Water? Is this part of the new legislation being drawn up by Government? Again, it is a legitimate question. Will this involve possible rent increases, which, if left unpaid for extended periods, could put a householder's tenancy in jeopardy? As we know, any council tenants are already in arrears and this will push them deeper and deeper into debt. Perhaps this is a red herring, but, again, these are the confused messages and people are genuinely concerned about what is possibly coming down the road. As the debate is about providing clarity. perhaps someone might provide some clarity on this issue. Clearly, the Minister wants the local authorities to do the Government's dirty work. This is totally unacceptable and will be resisted by organisations right across the State.

Many of us have spent the week in the Chamber pointing to the continued problems with Irish Water, but, again, people are asking whether the Government is listening. I do not know if it is. The Minister walked out yesterday after making his speech, joined by the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste. Where they went and whether they were out spinning yarns, we do not know, but they eventually came back into the Chamber. Again, this is part of the confused steps we have seen surrounding Irish Water. No other Government can be blamed, nor the troika. The leaderships of both parties are to blame for this mess. The Government will hear the message loud and clear on 10 December. I hope it is listening and that it has some answers.

See this speech in context