Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Unlike Deputy Martin I do understand the Government's anxiety to rush this Bill through on the eve of Christmas. The Government clearly has not heard the message from the people in that it continues its blarney about clarity and certainty. The clarity and the certainty that people require as the Taoiseach well knows is that the Government will abolish the domestic water charges. The Government is not prepared to do this and so is playing loose and fast with the parliamentary arrangements to get this Bill through. This is so reminiscent of the Government's approach to the Bill taken last year it is like Ground Hog Day.

I understand that it is customary to have a time for pause and reflection between the various legislative Stages. The Government is now seeking to overturn this. The Minister has brought forth substantial amendments to the Water Services Bill 2014 yet the Government is asking that we agree to the Bill not being reprinted although substantially amended. That is not on. All of this is a transparent attempt to get this legislation through before Christmas come hell or high water.

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