Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have no complaints about that. I did not go to anybody to protest or to say it was unfair. I recognised fully where that was heading. Why do we not recognise here and now that if we want to do that, there are consequences? In fact, I was proud of the consequences notwithstanding that they were not very nice. There were no plush surroundings like there are nowadays. I have no doubt about what was in my mind at the time. I knew it was a serious matter and that no one would listen to me anyway and what happens happened. I did not spend the rest of my life moaning about it, saying it was unfair or criticising those who were in power at the time. I did not bother doing that because I had decided deliberately to break the law. Now, politicians are elected to the House on the basis that they have set an example that they want to break the law and who call on everyone else to do the same thing. What they do not do, however, is accept responsibility for what happens to those who take their advice. Over the past number of years, I and many other Members have had occasion to advise people getting into various situations. I advised someone about that this morning. When they take the wrong advice, there may be consequences above and beyond their control which they do not envisage. They would be well advised to think about those things. Families may have impositions placed on them which they are not capable of handling because they took the advice of people whose only pursuit was the advancement of their own political gain and nothing else. It is sad to see people used in that fashion. I assure the House that if people allow themselves to be used in that fashion, they will get hurt. There is no doubt about that. Our society will be hurt and damaged. The people who allow themselves to be used will be damaged.

As I come near a conclusion, I note that several references were made to Irish Water and I do not propose to go there other than in passing. It is unfortunate that such an awkward, clumsy system had to be introduced to ensure that there was some recognition that a service exists for which someone has to pay. It is either the Europeans, the Germans, the French, the Italians, or someone else. It does not come free. Anyone who wants to try that out should bore an artesian well in his or her garden. If he or she goes down far enough, he or she will get water. The first part of the bore will cost €150 per foot as the drill goes down. An electric motor will have to be installed at the top costing approximately €1,000. That person should then ask someone else to pay for it. I do not think his or her neighbour or the fellow down the road will want to pay for it. The poor unfortunate fellow in the local authority house who is already paying if he is in a certain part of the country will not want to pay for it. He should not have to. If that guy wants to continue with an artesian bore in his garden, he will have to pay for a pump and the electricity to run it thereafter. He will more than likely have to install a purification system, which will also cost money. It will probably cost all in all approximately €3,000 to €4,000 per year. I am not suggesting that should be applied across the board to everyone. It would not be fair. However, I remind those who think it is a bed of roses that it is not.

I hope the legislation will be applied in a compassionate way. If it becomes obvious that the rougher edges that are in all legislation become the leading edges, I ask the Minister to make amendments to address that at an early stage. The Minister has already said she intends to introduce amendments on Committee Stage and we will consider them, hopefully, with enthusiasm.

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