Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not have a need to put a whole lot more on the record. While I agree with much of what has been said I have a number of questions about the borrowings because the numbers will be the make or break of Irish Water. We are continuously told there will be a need to borrow and that borrowing can happen off the balance sheet. I ask the Minister to tell the House who will pay back the borrowings and if estimates have been carried out on the amount of money that has been talked about? That will tell us a great deal. People have a resistance to becoming customers rather than citizens. If the customers are going to pay, may we have the numbers, please? The Minister said he will distinguish between the people who cannot pay and those who will not pay. Leaving aside the views on either side of the debate, if there is a significant number of people who cannot pay, it does not matter how many easy plans are put in place, if they have not got the money they will not be able to pay it. What percentage of those who cannot pay have been put into the equation in terms of compliance with EU spending rules? In the event of not passing that test, the Minister will not be able to borrow.

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