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

One of the issues since this scenario commenced has been a lack of adequate scrutiny and accountability and the way in which this is configured and set up, it does not have the sort of democratic access or accountability that one would expect. Bearing in mind that the local authorities played a major role in this respect in the past, they have been completely shafted in what is proposed in this section. Given that the staff are retained under service level agreements for the next 12 years, I would have thought their representatives and the democratically elected representatives in those areas would be best placed to contribute in a forum such as this. I question the understanding one has of the democratically elected personnel that we have even in this Chamber. It is only incumbent on the committee with jurisdiction in this area to meet once a year to discuss the goings on within Irish water. The lack of adequate scrutiny and debate has led to the scenario in which we now find ourselves. This effort on the part of the Government is to give the impression that there is or will be some form of accountability and transparency but it lacks the democratic accountability that I believe would be necessary and appropriate in such circumstances, which is the only way forward. Aside form that, in the context of what has been put forward, despite my objections to it, I can only agree with the proposal in the amendment to the legislation in order to have better personnel better placed to contribute to such a forum.

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