Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Can the Minister of State explain why he is taking more than half a billion euro from the local government fund, money that people paid in property tax, to give to Irish Water? During the property tax fanfare, brochures were distributed showing children smiling in parks and reading books. Libraries were going to open and grass was going to cut to the finest blade in every corner of every housing estates. Does the Minister of State remember? He bullied and intimidated people into paying it and passed it over to the Revenue when people would not pay the household charge. People have found that not only have their council services not improved, they have been cut back, for example library opening hours have been cut in my council area. There have been many other cuts and there is never any money when councillors seek anything. The Minister of State proposes to take money from the fund and give it to Irish Water, a company that is meant to be independent and garner its own finances.

Can the Minister of State explain why he is doing it? I would like an answer, and the Minister of State owes it to people. Why does Irish Water need a transfusion of funds from the taxpayer, which is what we are discussing? We are swimming in amendments, from dog licences to waste and the size of cars, and it is inexcusable that the Minister of State is ramming through something as significant as this provision for a transfer from one fund to another. Will our masters in the troika and the EU agree with it? The people of Greece can do nothing to control their autonomy to make decisions. Although three leading Government Members have condemned the Greek Government for measures such as the introduction of a wealth tax, the Government is able to dip into taxpayers' funds and give money to a huge quango that virtually nobody wants or sees a need for. What will happen to the smiling children and the libraries they are supposed to be enjoying when the Minister does it?

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