Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

It is nice to see such a public audition for the job of Taoiseach. This is the only sight that the public will have to see of who is the next leader. This audition is a test of who can break commitments that are made. The Minister, Deputy Varadkar has indicated that he is willing to break it, as has the Minister, Deputy Coveney. It is a test of who cannot answer the questions most effectively in the best possible spirit of the Taoiseach, Deputy Kenny, which is again clear today.

Let me help Fine Gael and the two prospective taoisigh in front of us. The Minister, Deputy Varadkar quoted from one bullet point of the supply and confidence agreement. If he had done us the favour of quoting the next bullet point things might be a bit clearer. I quote: "The Government will facilitate the passage of legislation, whether it be a money Bill or otherwise, for the implementation of the recommendations relating to domestic water charging supported by the Oireachtas, including abolition, a reformed charging regime or other options". The Minister, Deputy Varadkar should tell us if he is going to accept what has been agreed or if he is going to break it. There is no question here. The notion that the Attorney General read the report overnight - it was agreed yesterday, but we have not signed off on it yet - and said that it was not legal is nonsense. Do not try and mislead the Dáil. Let us be clear what has happened here.

He was the one who declared us to be the sinister fringe, and talked about the reasonable people who did not have a problem with water charges, water commodification or the prospect of privatisation. It turns out that we were not such a fringe and that we are a majority in society. Hundreds of thousands of people protesting had an impact, as did people organising in their communities and 73% of people refusing to pay. The result was a change of politics, including a change in the positions of different political parties. The Minister, Deputy Varadkar, said at the end of last year that an unpaid bill would be an outstanding debt, just like an ESB bill or management charge, and that, ultimately, people would end up having to pay their bill. It does not look very likely now, Minister, does it?

The report recommends that water charges be abolished, refunds issued, a referendum on public ownership held, the metering programme halted and no excessive usage charge introduced. The Minister's people decided to get legal advice yesterday and rang a lawyer in Tokyo to ask if it was okay to get rid of excessive usage charges. The lawyer said it was grand but his people now say it is not proper legal advice. He is fine with a special committee deciding on this as long as it decides in the way he wants, and with legal advice as long as that advice is the advice he wants. The Minister needs to read the writing on the wall. It is over, he has lost and the sinister fringe has won. Give it up and scrap the charges.

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