Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

For a cost of €1.15 or €3 per week, we are encouraging people to become part of Irish Water as a utility company. Whether we like it or not, it costs money to do what Deputy Mathews spoke about - managing supplies in order to have pristine drinking water. Deputy McEntee referred to Intel as an example of a company that needs water to create jobs.

Despite the economic voodoo-land that some people live in, we do need to be realistic about where we can get the money from. That is a fact, whether people like it or not. The Government has made mistakes and it has taken us far too long to rectify that. Thankfully, however, we have listened and have taken on board the concerns expressed by many people over a period of time. That is the hallmark of a Government that is about governing. It is about its ability to listen and to put in place an alternative to what was there before.

Some people do not want to see new jobs being created or our people prospering. Those of us in politics who want to make a difference recognise that being in government involves making decisions-----

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