Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

He was not discussed.

On water charges, any decision on that is a matter for the Northern Ireland parties. Water services have to be paid for. Water does fall from the sky but drinking water does not, nor is sewage and wastewater removed without considerable infrastructure and treatment plants. There are two options for paying: charges based on use, which is the most environmentally sound way of doing it, or taxation. Ultimately, it is a matter for the parties in Northern Ireland to decide how they want to charge people for those services.

We have not had discussions with the UK Government on plan B yet. That Government is not yet ready to discuss alternatives to the assembly and the Executive being re-established. Once it is willing to do so, we are willing to do so.

I draw Deputies' attention to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee report, published on Monday, 4 December, on the effectiveness of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement, which included recommendations towards ensuring stability of the Executive. There are some very good ideas and proposals in that report. There must always be room for the Northern Ireland parties and the British and Irish Governments to look together at the institutions to ensure they work for the Northern Ireland of today. The agreement provides for this but it is a complex issue and needs careful reflection. That is best done, we believe, when we have solved the current impasse, established an Executive and returned to the power-sharing institutions on the basis of the mandate given by the people in the elections of May last year.

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