Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am concerned that the deal being proposed between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael has been made without any engineering expertise or the knowledge of the people who have to implement water investment, that is, the management of Irish Water. If those in Right2Water really believe water is a human right - and I could not agree more - they might pay attention to the United Nations whose definition of access to water is not free water for everyone, but affordable water where the costs of providing it does not go above 3% of people's incomes. Protecting water as a resource is also essential in tackling climate change as energy use in water treatment is a major contributor to greenhouse gases. That is another fact that has been lost by the so-called "hard left" in this debate.

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