Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Instructions have been issued to stop installing meters.

As I indicated on many occasions to the previous Minister, Mr. Phil Hogan, I would not hold up Northern Ireland Water as an example to follow. Several changes must be made to the company. Sinn Féin is only one party in a five party coalition. I highlighted the weaknesses in Northern Ireland Water on previous occasions when I compared the position in the North with the position here when county councils were in charge. During the big freeze of 2010, Louth County Council supplied water to County Down because the board and corporate structure of Northern Ireland Water showed a failure to be responsive. The Minister had to kick backsides to get them to do their job. We should not hold up Northern Ireland Water as a good example because the company needs to be improved. Unfortunately, Sinn Féin does not hold 51% of the votes in the Assembly and Executive. However, we will continue to work on the issue and would welcome suggestions from Fine Gael. We would also welcome any influence the party can bring to bear on the current Minister in the Executive, Mr. Attwood.

I welcome Deputy Catherine Murphy's amendment. There are significant concerns about who controls development levies and where they are spent. When I was a county councillor we were heavily lobbied and received considerable attention from the people who paid development levies on how revenue from the levies was to be divided up between roads, recreational services, water and sewerage infrastructure and so forth. Those who paid the levies, whether to build a once-off house or for a commercial or large housing development, were always pushy in seeking to influence how revenue from the levies was spent. The people they approached were the councillors who were democratically accountable for the allocation of these moneys. Every year, the management of the local authority was required to prepare a proposal and report on the expenditure of these funds. I note from the Minister of State's body language that he does not like hearing this. These are, however, the facts of the matter. Councillors and officials were held directly accountable. No such mechanism is included in the Bill.

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