Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Coppinger asked about the local property tax. I want to make it clear to the House that 100% of the local property tax is being provided to the local authorities with 0% of the local property tax going to Irish Water. I stated that on numerous occasions in the House yesterday evening when the Deputy was present in the House. I am stating it again. It is not accurate in any way to say that the local property tax is being used to fund Irish Water.

The great irony of Opposition Members at the moment is that they are opposed to the subvention. This is the very subvention that is assisting in making the funding model of Irish Water affordable for people. This is the subvention that is providing for the children's water allowance. This is the subvention that is providing for the capped charge. They are opposing something that is assisting the citizens they are purporting to represent.

The amendment simply allows for an amount of up to €540 million to be made available from the local government fund to the Exchequer. This is reflecting a budgetary decision that was well flagged with the publication of the 2015 Revised Estimates, which have already been debated and passed by the House. This provision simply gives the legal underpinning to that budgetary decision.

It is very disappointing to hear Sinn Féin opposing the conservation grant that assists rural dwellers. The grant assists people who have been paying for their water over many years, including people drilling their own wells, maintaining their own pumps and maintaining their own septic tank systems. In fairness, Deputy Ó Cuív and his Fianna Fáil colleagues have supported the conservation grant. It is very disappointing to hear Sinn Féin oppose it in the House.

The Government supports the amendment which is a simple measure to transfer funds to the Exchequer.

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