Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

For a change I support Senator Regan in his call for a debate on the Schengen Agreement. The reason we have not fully embraced this is because of the common travel area and the adverse effects it could have on travel between the North and the South. I agree with him that it is time to examine this matter.

My second point relates to water charges. It is popular for Members in this House and local authority members to jump on the bandwagon and say there should be a derogation for schools. I do not believe that should happen. It may well be the case that resources would be made available to schools by the Department of Education and Science but it is a fact that there is a lot of waste. There is a disparity between the manner in which schools manage their water supplies. In some cases of which I am aware, leaks in schools have been allowed to continue during the summer when nobody was there. A significant wastage of water can occur. There is no way any of us, including the local authorities, should tolerate this. It is totally against everything we stand for on conservation. I am not in favour of that.