Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When Irish Water was set up there were major problems. There is no point in anyone saying there were not. Things were done wrongly and we must learn from that. Every week, I attended the clinics held by Irish Water and things began to improve bit by bit. Progress was slow and at times I pulled my hair out. I come from an area where there were many boil water notices, especially in Roscommon. After 14 months, thankfully the people in Williamstown can now drink the water. We must learn from the mistakes that were made. I will not get involved in the blame game but what was done was not thought out at the time. We should have opted to have a referendum to make sure the people always have a right to water because there are €16 billion worth of pipes in the ground that we must ensure are held in the public interest.

People might give out to me for saying it but I worked with Irish Water on a weekly basis on the problems in my area and, in fairness, I saw the situation improve on a step-by-step basis. I am chairman of a group water scheme at home and I am aware that we must ensure water quality is right because the EU has introduced regulations that have significantly increased the standard. The charges are gone but whether one pays with the right hand or the left hand, the cost of providing water will be paid with some hand. Whether it comes out of Exchequer funding or through billing people, the money will have to be paid. We must put infrastructure in place because there are problems with sewerage systems around the country. The sum of €50 per house was taken off the subvention for group water schemes and that money should be restored this year rather than kicking the ball down the road until next year because such schemes are running at a loss. Schemes are run on a voluntary basis around the country.

I remember going to the well for water with a milk can. We have come a long way since then, but it was the local people who put the infrastructure in place with the help of Government funding in order to provide a water supply in rural areas. We must learn from the mistakes that have been made. A commission is to be set up and we must be realistic and honest with people. The water charges are gone and that is fine, but five or six years down the road we must ensure funds are in place to deal with sewage treatment plants because the EU will come down heavy on us with fines. I am no admirer of the EU. I have no time for it, but this is what we signed up to in terms of water quality and septic tanks. The people who have said we could not do this, that or the other will have to answer for it in five or six years' time. Let us be honest with people and say that straight out.

We must ensure that we have good quality water throughout this country - north, south, east and west. We must put infrastructure in place. Water charges are gone but we must be honest with people and accept that the money for the infrastructure must come out of some purse. We must increase the current level of funding to ensure that we turn around the situation, be it in Dublin, Galway, Donegal or in the south in order that we have both the sewerage infrastructure and the water infrastructure that is required because I have seen what one has to do now to comply with the various EU regulations. We must invest heavily and whether people like it or not, that is the reality. I hope we do not regret what has happened. We accept what has happened. We are all politicians and we must move on. The water charges are gone, but I have seen in the past where two councils were not able to join pipes together but at least the entity of Irish Water ensures one body is overlooking the situation and ensuring the system is working.

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