Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

I support Senator Darragh O'Brien's call for a debate today on the issue of water charges, which has become a national controversy on the airwaves and in the print media. People are scared because they cannot afford to pay another utility bill or domestic rates on their properties from January next. This matter is not dealt with in programme for Government. Prior to the election, the Labour Party indicated that if in Government it would not propose water charges while Fine Gael took a different stance and said it would consider the proposal. There was at that time no talk of a utility charge. There is a need for an urgent debate on this issue before the forthcoming bank holiday weekend.