Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Here we are again, being presented with another opportunity to do what we promised the people we would do: abolish water charges. We know where Fine Gael stands on the issue; it is in favour of water charges. We also know where the Labour Party stands. It, too, is in favour of forcing people to pay for water. What we do not know is where Fianna Fáil stands on the issue. We thought we knew where it stood on it for the simple reason that on page 38 of its election manifesto it clearly stated in black and white that it would abolish water charges. It was as clear as day. However, it keeps changing its mind, or does it? I would like to say it is flip-flopping, but I believe it is something far more cynical. Fianna Fáil continuously insults the intelligence of the people in the most blatant way. It thinks it can take them for fools. Its cynical doublespeak in the past few weeks brings politics to a new low.

Just a few weeks ago Fianna Fáil submitted a submission to the commission stating it backed the abolition of water charges. A couple of days later it stated it would not support a Sinn Féin motion for the abolition of water charges, a motion that was calling for precisely what it had stated it would do. A couple of days later it stated it would not rule out the reintroduction of domestic water charges. I could call on its leader to hang his head in shame, but the reality is that he has no shame. We are giving Fianna Fáil an opportunity to try to redeem itself, if possible, and prove me wrong. I call on it to end its cynical doublespeak, stop taking the people for fools and support the motion to abolish water charges because that is what it promised the people it would do. Tonight it can redeem itself by supporting the motion and doing the right thing because that is what it stated it would do. In the name of God, it must stop conning the people because it is fooling nobody.

See this speech in context