Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I add my support to that of committee colleagues, Deputies Maria Bailey and Barry Cowen, in respect of this issue. For those Members who were not part of the committee's deliberations, it is important to be very clear about the purpose of the revised directive. It is about improving the quality of drinking water and increasing access to good-quality drinking water in member states where that is a problem. We all share that objective, as do all the organisations which presented to the committee, including the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, but there were number of concerns which were shared unanimously by the organisations in question. The fact that the European Commission has chosen to go beyond the recommendations of the World Health Organization is very significant and while some people might be suspicious or sceptical of Irish Water or the Government not wanting to go beyond WHO recommendations, the fact the EPA also voiced concerns demonstrates that all of them had bona fide reasons for expressing their difficulty.

Irish Water made very clear that, on the basis of the current draft, the capital expenditure required to meet the suggestions of the Commission would be between €200 million and €300 million, with an extra €100 in annual operational expenditure. These are very significant sums of money and, when all the key organisations tell the committee they are not convinced of the merits of the details of the directive, it would be remiss of us not to give a reasoned opinion in response.

It was also significant that the National Federation of Group Water Schemes presented to the committee and expressed significant concerns about how it would cope with the additional requirements for upgrading treatment and drinking water facilities. It was not that it did not want to provide its members with the best quality drinking water but it had genuine concerns about the cost implications and made a compelling case for more thought on the issues.

I thank the Labour Party for requesting this debate on this matter. The role of Oireachtas committees in scrutinising draft EU directives is very significant but it does not get a lot of attention. Given the fact that this is about something that goes into every household in the country, and has such a potentially large cost, it was right to have some debate on it.

This is part of the Lisbon treaty changes to member state scrutiny. I was a very strong critic of that treaty and I do not think these measures are strong enough but they are there and we should use them when they come up. If one third of member states submit a reasoned opinion, the Commission is forced to review its draft, although it is not forced to take it off the table. If one third of member states shared our concern, it would send a very important signal to the Commission at this early stage. If a majority of member state parliaments and upper houses, if they have them, submit a reasoned opinion the Commission would have to take it off the table and start again. My understanding is that the water section of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government believes that the fact we have done this will strengthen its position in its negotiations with the European Commission so it is a very worthwhile thing to have done. On the basis that it was a unanimous decision of the committee, I urge all Deputies to support it.

I thank the committee clerk, Ms Fiona Cashin, and Padraig Grant, who drafted the report. They deserve the thanks of the committee and the House for producing this report in an incredibly short period of time - from last week to yesterday when we agreed it. I also thank the Chair, Deputy Bailey, for chairing the session very well and allowing us to come to this conclusion.

8 o’clock

This is a really important motion and I hope everybody will support it. We have certainly given a commitment in the committee to continue to track it, irrespective of what happens with the recent opinions and the yellow or orange card. It is of great significance to the Oireachtas, water services delivery and citizens across the State.

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