Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This morning the Deputy opposite would have seen a whole sector which was totally reliant on water to create 23,000 jobs. A number of Deputies in the Chamber were present to hear about it. It is an amazing plan and I am sure the Deputy will be encouraged when he gets a chance to read the proposals put forward by the sector across the food production industry.

There is nothing unfair about the provision in the amendment as it is about providing certainty and clarity for the person responsible for paying the bill. There is nothing discriminatory about it as it is the user who pays. I hope most people will agree that the user should pay. We have already passed the Water Services Act which provides for the payment of water charges and this provision is to assist in the efficient administration of the charges. It promotes the user pays principle with which I presume everyone agrees. It also ensures tenants can obtain the conservation grant, which is critically important.

The existing legislation requires the occupier to pay. A couple of Deputies made the point that somebody coming along after someone else would be liable for the bill if it was not paid, but that is not the case.

That is simply not the case and it is actually the total opposite. Deputy Stanley should hold on and stop shaking his head. Irish Water will have to deal with whoever was the previous occupier. This gives obligations in that sense to the landlord. Irish Water will have to deal with-----

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