Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is not agreed. What the Government is proposing represents a further illustration of the sheer contempt it has for the Dáil. The arrangements for the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill are entirely unacceptable. Our party Whip wrote to the Ceann Comhairle's office some days ago pointing out that we had significant issues with the Government's approach to the Report Stage amendments being introduced to the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014. In particular, the amendments inserting new sections 43 to 47, inclusive, into the Bill are of concern to our party. These involve the insertion into the Bill of amendments to the Water Services Acts 2013 and 2014, regarding payment of water charges, the water conservation grant database and other amendments related to the operation if Irish Water.

Furthermore our Whip raised Standing Orders 131 and 136. Standing Order 131 allows only amendments that are not in conflict with the principles of the Bill and are relevant to the provisions of the Bill. The series of amendments now introduced by the Government on Report Stage are totally out of sync with the spirit of the Bill as passed on Second Stage. Standing Order 136 provides that no new section or other amendment may be proposed which creates a charge on the public revenue or upon the people. The Government amendment clearly creates a charge on the people in setting out provision for the extraction of water charges on property occupiers. Standing Order 141 sets out that where Bills are to be substantially amended on Committee or Report Stage, an explanatory memorandum should be provided. At the date of that letter, no such memorandum had been provided despite the substantial amendments from the Government side.

In essence it seems the water issue is regarded as toxic. We have had this since the very beginning of Irish Water. The Government has rammed through every piece of legislation related to Irish Water. The manner in which it has managed it and ordered the House to debate Irish Water has caused Dáil walkouts. Here at the 11th hour we are back to the usual end-of-term jackboot tactics the Government has deployed in recent years, ramming material that may be politically sensitive through the House without adequate debate. The amendments relating to Irish Water are significant, may constitute a Bill in their own right and should not be smuggled in under a wider miscellaneous provisions Bill with a view to trying to avoid a difficult political debate on water charges and the operation of Irish Water. That seems to be the Government's agenda.

One hour has been proposed for the debate on the recommittal. Technically the Government may be in conformity with the Standing Orders of the House, but in substance and in the spirit of how we operate, this is a very sneaky and underhand way to deal with substantive items pertaining to water charges at the 11th hour as this session comes to an end. It is not appropriate to ram it through in an hour tomorrow. I believe the entire debate should go back to full Second Stage, given the nature of the amendments the Government has tabled on Report Stage relating to entitlements to the conservation grant and how it is to operate and other matters pertaining to the extraction of water charges and so on.

It is unacceptable and disgraceful behaviour by the Government, which is yet again treating this House with absolute contempt and no regard for democracy. There have been no reforms, no change to how the Dáil does its business and certainly no democratic revolution.

See this speech in context