Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

----- how an ombudsman is needed and how disputes can turn expensive.

My point is that when issues arose with the county council, there always was a dedicated officer. A leakage form was available if there was a dispute, people were dealt with fairly and I salute the council officials who dealt with such issues. In this case, the customer is described in one situation by Uisce Éireann and in another situation is described by the Minister himself. It is the same as the Commission for Energy Regulation setting the prices, only for the Minister to take the job from it and from one amendment to the next, this Bill becomes more farcical. I reiterate that in my Private Members' Bill, I had proposed a dedicated ombudsman because there will be disputes by the dozen and by the hundred as that is the nature of the thing, especially when the meters have been fitted and, as could happen, the wrong number is mistakenly allocated to the householder or the customer in this case.

Moreover, any Member who has represented a rural constituency for any length of time has had issues over the years with farm accounts, business accounts and with different people. As I indicated earlier, we had a 98% record of payment from that sector in County Tipperary but disputes will arise and have arisen and there is a need for mediation and contact. That is where politicians came in, as they intervened as Teachtaí Dála or as comhairleoirí and meaningful discussions were held. There always was dispute resolution but the Minister has set his face against it completely. He does not want any dispute resolution, as it is all one-way traffic in this Bill. It is a case of let the money flow in agus ar aghaidh le hUisce Éireann. However, that is not good enough and I am totally opposed to this section.

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