James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 44:

In page 27, subsection (1)(b), line 9, after "Minister" to insert ", save for functions associated with or connected with the agreement or imposition of water service charges,".

These amendments are designed to ensure the Minister cannot delegate his dirty work to other bodies or persons including local authorities, councillors, directors of services and managers. I am sure the Minister is well aware of the anger which has been vented by local authority members from his own party up and down the country who lost their seats last Friday. Many of them are very angry about the imposition of development charges which they had to introduce on foot of the Minister's regulations. If the Minister wants to introduce charges, he should do it himself and let it be on his own head rather than on the heads of others. There are a great many sick heads up and down the country after last weekend's results. The amendments seek to ensure that the Minister takes full responsibility for any charges he may introduce.