Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State and the Government are throwing it over to Irish Water but they will take credit for what is being done and for the money they have given. I am asking for the connection fee to be waived. I have been involved in schemes like this all my life. My family is still involved in doing the schemes. I know what the cost of the scheme would be. There is no way in the world Irish Water could charge €20,000 more per connection to install the pipe for 50 to 70 houses. The Minister of State should check it out. Why is Irish Water saving this miserly sum of money and putting people to the torment of what is going on but achieving nothing? The Minister of State is saying it will protect the lakes of Killarney and the River Deenagh. It will do so in the context of the village above but the 50 or 70 houses down the road are not being facilitated at all to connect up with the Killarney pipe. It does not make an ounce of sense, if it was priced at €10,000 but charged at €20,000 for the connection.

The Government is talking about building houses. There are vacant houses along that road that need to be connected but the owners cannot afford the cost at this time. I am appealing to those in government to put their heads together. The Government - Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party - is looking for credit but, God almighty, can it not see what could be done for this small sum of money? The trench is open and all that has to be done is for the pipe to be connected to it. There is no digging needed. Irish Water should run the pipe up to the boundary fence and leave it there. I am asking for no more. The people in question will have to pay enough money to bring it to their houses anyway. There are septic tanks in trouble up there but the Government is giving no help to protect the River Deenagh or the lakes of Killarney in this instance.

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