Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have listened to a lot of ráiméis since I came here, nothing of which was to do with water. The banking inquiry commenced public hearings today on an element of the recent past in this country, where fundamental mistakes were made. There is an acknowledgement by the Minister, the Government and the Minister of State that the previous legislation on the establishment of Irish Water may not have been perfect, and this is the response.

Deputy Stanley referred to the domestic charges which are not currently being imposed in Northern Ireland. His party is in government there. I found a document he will be very interested in, namely, the Northern Ireland Water Scheme of Charges 2014 to 2015. It shows that the charge will be £1.689 for a variable water charge up to 1,000 litres. It makes it clear that there will be no water charges for 2014 or 2015, but says nothing about the period after that.

Sinn Féin and certain elements of the Opposition have tried to con the people into thinking the situation in Northern Ireland is different, but it is not. There is no written constitution in Northern Ireland, therefore a provision regarding privatisation could not be included even if one wanted to do so. We have a written Constitution and it is dangerous to tinker with it and include things in it for the sake of it. Deputy Stanley can dismiss this all he likes, but his party is in government and the document to which I referred came from parties in government in Northern Ireland.

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