Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Those opposite want to reverse water charges but a third of households in this country do not connect to a public water supply. That is 800,000 households. Nevertheless, these people pay quite a lot of tax. The motion argues that such people should pay more tax for a service they will never get. This is not like the public transport example, as everybody agrees that such transport should be subsidised through taxation because it is good for the economy. Are those opposite asking us to pay for their tickets as well? There is a good chance that everybody who pays tax would probably use public transport anyway but 800,000 households will not connect to a public water supply. The proposers of the motion are asking those people to pay more tax in order to bring up investment. Somebody should explain to me where there is equity, fairness or justice in that.

This Government has brought about political stability that has been followed by economic stability, with a definite correlation between both. We must not reverse that or turn it around. We have come a long way but there is still a long way to go in order to get the country back on its feet. There has been a hard sacrifice by the Irish people which is beginning to pay a dividend. The motion argues that we should reverse engines but it is not time for that.

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