Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

This group of amendments insert into the Bill provisions on water charges. The purpose of amendments Nos. 222 and 223 is to strengthen and consolidate in a single provision the existing legal provisions authorising the imposition of charges for water services, for ease of understanding and accessibility. The existing legal code for water service charges is scattered piecemeal and this brings it together. Government policy on water charges which provided only for charges for non-domestic charges and prohibits charging for water services provided for households for domestic use is not affected. Neither is the new provision intended to be capable of enabling existing policy to be changed.

I take this opportunity to make it clear that any proposal of any future Government to reintroduce domestic water charges would require additional legislation. That is not a runner in so far as this Government is concerned. Unlike existing legislation which simply authorises water service authorities to charge for water services, the proposed new code obliges water authorities to charge non-domestic users for all associated costs.

Section 105(4) was further amended on Report Stage to again extend the waiver provisions in case of personal hardship and to provide also for a water charge. Regulations under the new section 106 will enable the Minister to specify what costs could be included. This set of amendments in effect doubly legislates against water charges.