Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to speak on the Bill. I compliment Deputy Collins on bringing it forward. I wish to declare an interest. Part of a business in which I am involved does some work for Irish Water.

In 2013 I introduced a Private Members' Bill, the Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill to amend the Water Services Act 2013. It sought to make provision for Irish Water to be fully subject to freedom of information legislation, which it is not but must be. It also sought the creation of a dedicated independent ombudsperson to resolve the disputes, which are many and varied, relating to Irish Water. Such a change must be made. The most important aspect of the Bill was to make provision for Irish Water to be a fully public owned entity which would be prohibited from entering into a public private partnership. We know where such an approach has led us in many cases. While I support such initiatives for road building or whatever, I do not support them for such a valuable resource and asset as water. I would still like to see those objectives achieved and that is why I will support the Bill.

Our water supply must be protected with the firmest possible guarantees. A constitutional amendment to protect the water supply is best suited to achieving this goal. I opposed, with all my might, the construct of Irish Water developed by the former Ministers Phil Hogan and Deputy Alan Kelly. An entity should look after water, but Irish Water was too big and the process was too rushed. The wrong people were appointed to the board and they lacked expertise. Why were people involved in group water schemes not included? The volunteers about which Deputy Fitzmaurice spoke should have been included. When I was in school I saw people digging with shovels and machines, laying pipes, finding sources and maintaining water services, something which continues to this day. Such people have been lost in the debate. Farmers and householders have problems with wells being polluted. Who will support them?

I am disappointed there is no reference to health in the Bill. Each person should be entitled to a certain amount of water per day for sanitation and human consumption for free. In order to avoid waste any water consumed above that level should be metered and charged for. That system makes sense to everyone.

There are people in the country who do not have water. As a buachaill óg I remember drawing water with a horse and cart. I am not, as someone described me here some time ago, a Neanderthal. I am 58 years of age and drew water from rivers to cattle with a horse and cart, buckets, barrels and everything else. It was hard work. It is a wonderful resource to be able to turn on a tap and have a water supply available.

Councils have been dismissed as if they never did anything. They had water sources, treatment plants and good caretakers to look after the major task of providing water. One could ring them when there was a break in service. People contacted us and we were able to get it sorted. Now we have a monstrosity that is not fit for purpose. It is a case of jobs for the boys and is bungling from one issue to another.

There will be a battle in Tipperary, Offaly and other places to take water from the Shannon to Dublin. Water is required for Dublin, but it should get its house in order and fix the 40% or 50% of water that is wasted underground through leaks. That is reprehensible and unacceptable. Why would a decision be made to plough up the middle of the country and destroy perfectly good farms near houses through the use of blunt instruments such as compulsory purchase orders in order to lay pipes? I have no problem with infrastructure being provided, but I have a problem with water being taken to places that will not stop wasting it. The same applies to all houses.

It cost €590 million to fit meters. They are wasted underground and will never be used. People should be encouraged to fit meters in their houses near electricity meters or somewhere they can be read in order to assess the level of water they are using and whether they have leaks. There should be a carrot-and-stick approach to encourage people not to waste water. It is a valuable resource - I will not call it a commodity because it is not. We are entitled to water, but it is not an infinite resource. It has to be collected, treated and pumped using pressure, and services must be provided and maintained. There must be some encouragement to stop people wasting water.

A former water caretaker in Fethard, County Tipperary calls me on a weekly basis. People are abusing him because a leak has been happening on his private property since last Christmas and we cannot get Irish Water to fix it, at a time when we are talking about encouraging water conservation. Thousands of gallons are being lost through leaks every week. Irish Water has such high levels of bureaucracy that one cannot get anybody to fix leaks. Householders are not home and waste is going on in front of people's eyes, beside a shop. They see the waste on a daily basis, while at the same time we are trying to encourage them to save water and mind a valuable resource. The system is farcical in the extreme. Irish Water needs a lot of housekeeping and reorganisation.

As I said, we need a lot of soul searching and respect for landowners and householders in Tipperary, Offaly and other counties through which a pipeline will be laid. We need the issue to be dealt with sensitively and not to have the bullying approach of Irish Water. We had such an approach from the former Ministers Phil Hogan and Deputy Alan Kelly. I accept the Minister and his colleague are sensible and understanding and hope they will accept the Bill and enshrine in legislation that Irish Water can never be privatised.

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