John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I ask the House to imagine what life wa like under what was an unassailable Fine Gael and Labour Party Government when it came to charging for water. I have fought more elections than most in the House in the past three years - local elections in 2014, a by-election in 2015 and a general election last year. I was, therefore, close to the evolution of public opinion in the evolving water charges debate. As I have said before, from what had the potential to be as groundbreaking as the establishment of the ESB came, to quote the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, to be something rushed, badly planned and appallingly implemented. From what could have been a dynamic, smart and successful State utility with public support came in the end, to quote the Chief Whip, a cock-up and a catastrophe. It failed to win the moral support of the people who, whether the Minister cares to admit it, were justifiably suspicious that his game plan was to fatten a tax-funded State utility and sell it off. During the local elections of 2014 it became clear that the Government's proposed allowances were mean, with no account being taken of ability to pay. The Government terrified seniors and frightened families with students and non-working adults, for whom no allowances were made. It is very difficult to believe now that there were no waivers or medical allowances provided for in this context. Grandparents were frightened they would not be able to care for their grandchildren without exceeding the daily allowance the Government had set.

When it came to water charges, the previous Government was austere, mean and clinical. This meanness, indifference and arrogance was epitomised most by the then Minister Phil Hogan's threat to cut people's water supplies to a trickle. The previous Fine Gael-led Government had the largest majority in the history of the State and still managed to do 12 U-turns on water charges. It was Deputy Alan Kelly who rendered redundant the water meters on which €500 million of taxpayers' money had been spent. I ask the House to remember that the Government spent income tax, motor tax and local property tax receipts in the establishment of Irish Water. Water charges were introduced at a time when USC was applied in all its force, when property tax was applied and when VAT rates had been increased, levying an average increase of €2,000 per annum on the average family and household. Water charges were simply a step too far.

Sinn Féin is the carpetbagger when it comes to the Right2Water campaign. I fought the 2015 Dublin South-West by-election, in advance of which Deputies Gerry Adams, Mary Lou McDonald and Pearse Doherty said they were paying their water charges. They lost that by-election. Then it came to the 2016 general election and there is one party that made a commitment to the electorate in advance of it and one party that has delivered on that commitment. We achieved the suspension of water charges. No other party in this House can claim credit for this. The commission headed by Mr. Duffy followed, as did the Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services. We can, therefore, go back to our constituencies - I can go back to Tallaght and the constituency of Dublin South-West - and say we made a commitment, that we kept our promise and that water charges have been abolished.

The last word must appropriately go to the Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar. He has said there can be no victory for Fine Gael in the abolition of water charges. Common sense has prevailed; politics has won and Seán Lemass would be proud.

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