Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is nothing routine about this payment which has nothing to do with social protection or water conservation. It has everything to do with creative accounting and Irish Water being able to satisfy the EUROTAT test by being able to issue bills, while rebates will be provided by another Department and, as such, will not be counted in the test. It is a disgrace that we will load additional requirements onto the Department of Social Protection which should only be concerned with social protection issues. Does the Tánaiste even have an indication of the number of staff that will be required or the cost involved? She would not have made a submission to the other two Departments had she not believed there would be costs involved. What was sought in that submission?

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