Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Green Party and green movement in general are based on one simple, clear idea, namely, that if we can be efficient in our use of natural resources, we will be successful, not just successful in being sustainable in a world of scarce resources but also secure because we are facing an insecure world. The climate will change. Some areas in this country face flooding and huge water management problems and other areas will have a water shortage. When that day comes and the tap does not run, we will be cursing the fact that we did not manage this water issue correctly in the past three or four years.

The bigger picture is that to manage scarce resources, one has to monitor, measure and place a value on a resource. One has to discourage waste. I am glad there is some progress being made. I wish we had started three or four years ago with some of the principles we are finally getting to. We should have a referendum to insert into the Constitution a provision stipulating there is no possibility that the public water supply could be privatised. I would like us to go further. We have nothing in the Constitution about respecting the environment. Perhaps there is wording we could come up with that would embed in our Constitution a statement that we value our land, water and air, as exists in some other countries. That is important for us.

I am also glad we have come to the position that there is a right to water and that everyone will be entitled to it to meet their basic needs. It is not a commodity like other goods. It is not like electricity or telecommunications infrastructure; it is essential for life. In this country, where we have such access to water, it should be included as a basic right. I am glad we have come to this conclusion.

I am glad, even though the system is not perfect, that at least in this last deal that has been hammered out there is an agreement that all new builds will be metered. How could we not do so? How can people argue metering is a bad thing? If we do not measure, we do not value, as Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice said. I am glad this is realised and I hope that over time, as people opt in and see the sense of this, metering will start to become the norm and we will construct apartments in the way that has been provided for.

I am glad that there is, at last, a majority in this House that agrees we should have some charge on waste. Most people are not naturally wasteful but a charge on waste is the way to achieve conservation and reduce the amount of money we have to spend. This saves us money.

The main reason we did not support the report coming through yesterday is that we are concerned the actual mechanism to implement the charge on waste, find the leaks, cut down on waste and support conservation is not going to work or not going to work as best it might. I do not want to be political about it but this is all about politics. I fear that the use of the 2007 Act was just political cover for Fianna Fáil because it was fearful of Sinn Féin, which in turn was in need of political cover because it changed its position because of Deputy Paul Murphy getting elected in Tallaght. That is what it is all about; we all know that. I do not believe that is a particularly clever outcome in terms of how we introduce the charge.

There may be some legislative mechanism and the Minister will show it is not a fines based system without all the court and other difficulties. I do not see how that will be possible using the 2007 Act. That was the reason my party stated it could not support it. My party supports the other principles I have mentioned and I hope we can get some sort of consensus here on those major blocks in order that perhaps we might start to move on.

I have a number of regrets. The first is that we are doing this because the EU states we have to do it. We should do it because it is right that we start to treat nature and our natural resources properly. I regret also the lawyers have been all over this. I am mortified when I watch the committee. Parties are now bringing lawyers into Oireachtas committees. Where will that lead? I am told nine different legal opinions were presented in the committee. Our job is to set the law and the policy. Let the lawyers interpret it thereafter. Our job is not to abdicate our responsibilities to lawyers and ask them to become politicians because they are not as good at it.

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