Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I add my voice to those of others who condemned what happened to the Tánaiste in Jobstown last week. Despite our differences in this Chamber, every Deputy, of all parties and none, should be singing from the same hymn sheet in condemning what occurred. I hope we do not see these events repeated in the future.

I have no doubt that the Government is breathing a sigh of relief after yesterday's massive climb-down on water charges. I note that the Tánaiste stated last night that she had appointed the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, to sort out the issue. I am glad to see that the Labour Party has taken ownership of Irish Water, which was a Fine Gael love child.

Yesterday the Government inflicted on the people a package of measures which will mean that everything collected in water charges in the next eight years will go towards the €700 million wasted to date. I wonder if yesterday's announcement answered the many outstanding questions. It failed, for example, to convince people that establishing Irish Water was the right thing to do or that they could expect it to suddenly become efficient, cost-conscious and consumer-friendly. It confirmed, however, that one element of the model the Government has pursued to date was definitely off the agenda, namely, conservation.

I am mindful of the comments made by the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, the other night and those made by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, yesterday. This morning a former chairman of the Economic and Social Research Institute expressed concern about the independence of Irish Water and its ability to reach the Holy Grail of borrowing off-balance sheet to the extent the Government would like. What level of contact has the Government had with EUROSTAT? Given that under the revised model, the Government subvention will increase to €240 million, €180 million will be handed back in rebates and a €60 million supplement will be paid to the local authorities in order that Irish Water does not have to pay rates on the €11 billion worth of assets it has acquired, what reassurance has the Government received from EUROSTAT that its model passes the test? If it does not pass the test, what assurances have been given to the Government and what guarantees can it provide that it will pass the test? The House would be wiser if it had answers to these questions. As far as I am concerned, the Government's decision to revise the model by increasing the subvention and decreasing the contribution of members of the public does nothing more than put the rest of the House on a general election footing.

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