Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is the third Bill related to water services that has been through a very flawed process. The first, introduced in February 2013, was introduced on the same day as the promissory note deal, if one wants to call it a deal. It was so heavily guillotined that only one amendment was debated. With regard to the second Bill, introduced in December of that year, only three hours were allowed for Second, Committee and Report Stages. The debate was restricted to three hours. It was such an abuse of the process that the entire Opposition walked out. Here we are again taking more liberties with the process.

Up to now, the Bill was the miscellaneous provisions legislation. Among the items it dealt with were a park in Kerry, dog-breeding penalties and expanded monitoring by the EPA of air quality. Deputy Ó Cuív read into the record some of what was said to me at the committee. I will focus on one area. Minister of State Deputy Ann Phelan said the Bill is quite technical and that there are some typographical issues. She said it was really a question of dotting the i's and crossing the t's. She said the scope of the Bill is such that it does not allow for it to be changed in any huge way. She also said the Bill was very technical and stressed there would be plenty of time to consider the amendments. The amendments were available to us only at the deadline. Therefore, the concept of having plenty of time can be called into question.

This Dáil was misled, either by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government or the Minister of State because there is a paradox. Both sides cannot be right when two different things are being said. We are being told little is being changed, yet a large number of amendments on waste collection merit consideration in their own right. The Bill introduces mandatory registration for Irish Water for everyone. It establishes a lien on people's property so it cannot be sold without the water charges being paid. It establishes that approved housing bodies are to be regarded as occupiers of the dwellings for the purpose of the water charges. It establishes a new database of information on water services supplied to each dwelling in the State. It is not clear whether PPS numbers or other unique identifiers are being talked about. The Bill is so vague that we do not even know about what the Minister is talking.

This House has become an inconvenience for the Government. What is occurring is an absolute show of contempt for this Parliament and the parliamentary process. I refer to the manner in which what is being done is being done. If the Minister is showing contempt for the Opposition, he is showing contempt for the people. Given that the House has been so misled on this, and that the Government is proceeding in such a flawed way, one must really question whether the Government has the authority to hold office. It just regards this House as an inconvenience. It is believed that the legislation can be got through quicker if it is done in a way that avoids the kinds of processes that are absolutely critical in a parliamentary democracy.

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