Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is the first time in the history of the State that they have got anything. I welcome the Government's decision to give people something back. I welcome that the water conservation grant will do a small amount in terms of enhancing those people's positions in the delivery of water services on which they have been failed by local authorities under successive governments. This is not unique to this Government; it has been going on since the foundation of the State. For people who lived out in the country it was tough. They had two choices: provide their own water or go to the river, so I welcome that.

On the overall funding element I revert back to my original point. If we accept that a certain portion of the local government fund was always used for the delivery of water services how can there be any difficulty in accepting that that money should continue to follow the service? That is exactly what the Government is doing with this provision in the Bill. It is a responsible local service provision being supplemented by local authorities through the State for the delivery of a safe potable drinking water supply regardless of whether people live in Mulhuddart or Feohanagh. It ill behoves the Deputies opposite to be against giving rural people something for the first time ever, particularly someone as rooted in rural Ireland as Deputy Stanley is.

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