Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this item. I want to bring it to the attention of the Minister of State and the House as a whole that the process of transferring non-domestic water billing from local authorities to the entity known as Irish Water will commence by the end of next week. It has chosen counties Monaghan and Meath as the first counties to participate in the transfer process from local authorities. Irish Water will write directly to all non-domestic water customers in counties Monaghan and Meath shortly, after their account information has been transferred, to inform them of these changes.

It beggars belief not only that it has been decided to proceed with the transfer of responsibility from local authorities to the entity known as Irish Water now, but also that this change is coming into effect while the newly appointed water charges commission is readying itself to commence its work, which includes addressing the future of domestic water charges and the future of Irish Water itself. While some people would argue the toss on this decision and suggest it relates merely to the funding of Irish Water, I would contend that funding is the critical element of this entire issue. The question of whether to give Irish Water the oxygen of funding will determine whether it will continue to breathe as a structure into the future. The policy of proceeding in this manner at this point, thereby giving Irish Water what seems to be a lifeline, has not received any public attention of which I am personally conscious. I suggest that in light of this approach, it is no wonder that so many people have lost faith in politics and the political process. The process of allocating funding directly to Irish Water from the local authorities, which is getting under way, will be viewed by many people as a very inappropriate and underhanded move at this time, especially in light of the Government's decision to suspend the accruing charges for domestic water provision.

We have to recognise that the water charges commission is getting down to its work under its new chairperson, Kevin Duffy, who has replaced Joe O'Toole after his recent decision to stand down from that position. I agree with the views of those who have expressed understandable annoyance because they believe the so-called expert commission is structured to give a specific result. When the Minister, Deputy Coveney, commented on the appointment of Kevin Duffy, he said that the new commission will have "a wealth of experience in addressing complex, intractable issues". I suggest there is nothing complex or intractable about the issue of domestic water charges or the future of Irish Water. The people made their decision patently clear in February. I ask the Minister not to allow the transfer of the billing and accounting process to proceed at this point. We should await the outcome of the commission's deliberations and make an informed decision in the full light of what it may have to say.

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