Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleagues, in particular Deputy Barry Cowen for his thoughtful discussion of the matter. When the Government was formed, it was complex and took many hours of negotiations. A process was put in place to deal with Irish Water. We can have motion upon motion, but we must wait for the outcome of the deliberations of the groups appointed to be brought back to the floor of the Dáil and the Oireachtas committee to discuss the matter.

In all of the debates about it a matter that has been raised constantly with regard to the provision of a water supply for each house is that of communities connected to a public water supply that is not fit for human consumption. We must be very clear on the water supply being provided. The vast quantity is top class, but there are communities which do not have access to a quality water supply. This is an issue in Ballydesmond on the Cork and Kerry border. It has been raised on numerous occasions and I recently attended a public meeting about it. There is a commitment to try to have it connected to a proper water supply. Somebody building a house in the region is sent an enormous bill to have it connected to a water supply which is not fit for human consumption. When the local authorities had responsibility for providing a connection to public water supplies, we could debate issues with them. The bills Irish Water sends to people building one-off houses are obscene and must be challenged. They are expected to pay €14,000, €15,000 or perhaps more to connect to a water supply. If they are connecting to a supply that is not adequate or appropriate, they should not be charged. Ballydesmond in north Cork is a case in point. This is an issue for discussion in any debate on the future of Irish Water. It must be ensured the company cannot produce a product that is not fit for human consumption and expect people to pay an enormous fee to connect their houses to the system.

I have no doubt that we need time to see what the expert commission will state and consider what will be brought before the Oireachtas committee. We will then need time to bring forward proposals and debate them in the House. We can have motion after motion in the House every week, but a process is in place and we must let the commission report before we move forward.

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