Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin in government in the North and with reference to the budget for the period 2011 to 2015 has stated, "In Northern Ireland the services are currently primarily funded from public expenditure. This creates pressures in other areas ... for example health and education funding needs to be diverted to cover the associated water costs." This is an admission that water services in Northern Ireland are competing for the same funding as all other Government Departments in the North, leading to a distinct lack of funding. I note that Northern Irish Water admits as much on its website. This reflects the argument made by the Government, as if we were to fund water services from general taxation, we would have to divert funds from areas where funding is much needed. Sinn Féin disagrees with such a position in this state, but it pursues the same policy in Northern Ireland. That exposes its double-speak.

Fianna Fáil is calling for the abolition of Irish Water, despite the fact that in the party's national recovery plan for the period 2010 to 2014 it stated it would charge €400 per year for water services. It is also interesting to note that it strongly opposed the establishment of another national utility, the ESB, in 1927. This is typical of its stints in opposition; it is Punch and Judy politics, with no substance or solutions, while trying to be all things to everybody.

Members of the Technical Group include Deputies who encourage people not to pay their household charge. They held meetings all over the country, collecting €5 and saying they would obtain the best legal advice. They encouraged people not to pay the septic tank registration charge, but where were they when the charge was applied, with penalties? They abandoned the people in question.

See this speech in context