Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In 25 years from now, the establishment of Irish Water and the upgrading of our water infrastructure will be seen as a national achievement. It will be compared to the establishment of the ESB and the roll-out of our national electricity programme after independence.

Young Irish men and women will not believe that in the early years of the 21st century our water infrastructure was, in a country this size, run by more than 30 different bodies with little co-ordination. In addition, 22,181 people were on boil-water notices and in 42 urban areas sewage was discharged untreated, putting rivers and bathing waters at risk of pollution. The national leakage rate of treated water was up to 49%, and much of our water infrastructure was laid when we were part of the United Kingdom. Some 800 kilometres of water piping in Dublin alone has not been upgraded since we were under British rule.

There is insufficient drinking water supply for the greater Dublin area. Most European capital cities have between 15% and 20% spare capacity, whereas Dublin operates at approximately 96% to 99% of full capacity.

Future generations of Irish people will wonder how their parents and grandparents lived in a time before Irish Water. They will think the history books exaggerate when they say that half the water that was treated leaked out, some of the remainder was unfit for use if not boiled, and untreated sewage was allowed to flow into the natural environment.

The long-term benefits of the establishment of Irish Water, including the potential capital investment in infrastructure, far outweigh the difficulties that currently exist. As a Government, we accept that mistakes have been made. This was acknowledged yesterday by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

The start date for domestic water charging will now be 1 January 2015, with the first bills to issue from April 2015. This means that water charges will not start until after the benefits of budget 2015 have been felt by households across the country. All eligible households will receive a water conservation grant of €100 per year, allowing all households invest in water conservation measures to reduce their water use. The net yearly cost for water will be €60 for a single-adult household or €160 for all other households. Households with either a water supply only or a sewage-only service will pay 50% of these rates.

The use of the water meters can result in even lower charges than the capped charge. Estimates show that if metered households can reduce their water consumption by between 10% and 15%, half of Irish households will be able to cut their bills to below the capped charge. A number of constituents raised the issue of the requirement to provide their PPS numbers as a major objection to the way Irish Water was set to operate. It is a positive step that PPS numbers will not be required for registration with Irish Water. This is a clear indication that, despite what Opposition Deputies may claim, the Government has listened to and acted upon the concerns of the Irish people. The new arrangements can be seen as prioritising affordability, certainty, clarity, simplicity and encouraging conservation.

The maximum charge is €3 per week for a large household once the conservation grant is taken into account. For single households, it will be just over €1 per week. Households also have the opportunity to manage their water consumption to achieve a lower metered bill. All households will know their maximum bills until early 2019.

The next couple of years will see a major improvement in our water infrastructure. We will see fewer boil notices, less untreated sewerage released into our environment, and less expensive treated water leak from out of date pipes. Future generations of Irish men and women will look at the violence directed against the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, gardaí and Irish Water staff and wonder why people would stand in the way of improving our water services and water quality. The truth is that many of these violent protesters are not as interested in the issue of water as they appear and are more interested in abusing people, including members of the Garda Síochána. This is a watershed moment for Irish Water and future generations. I commend the motion to the House.

See this speech in context