Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I do not agree with how he has been conducting his business. He is leading people to the top of the hill and then he will blatantly abandon them. I look forward to the day when he runs out of cheques to pay the bills of all the people who come to his door because of the advice he gave them. It is all very well to say there is a possibility but the reality is that he is leading people astray by telling them they will never have to pay for something. Unless he intends make a big climb-down to sit on this side of the House in order to change the legislation, which I do not believe he does because he cannot take responsibility or make hard decisions, what he promises will never happen. I agree with Deputy Ó Cuív that Deputy Murphy will abandon his people after he walks them to the top of the hill. I am looking forward to the day when he has to answer for that. We have to manage expectations and manage people in an appropriate and fair way. It is irresponsible to lead people up the garden path. The majority of us in this House believe that.

Deputy Murphy will not defeat this because it is the right thing to do for future generations and to provide an alternative model for water infrastructure. It is the right thing to do because it allowed me to launch a programme for 23,000 jobs today. It is the right thing to do for the people of counties Roscommon and Tipperary who have been on boil water notice for many years. Did the Deputy ever sit down with the major industries which are water dependent? I would like an answer to that question.

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