Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I am glad to be in Seanad Éireann, which I have not been in since 1989. I was a Member from 1987 to 1989 and I take this opportunity to congratulate all Members of the House on their recent election or appointment. I wish them well in their term of office. I thank the Senators from the Fianna Fáil Party for giving me this opportunity to speak on this motion and its amendment. I am glad to clarify the position of the Fianna Fáil Party and the Government. I remind the House what the previous Fianna Fáil-led Government agreed last December with the European Union and the IMF through the following direct quote from that agreement: "The government will have undertaken an independent assessment of the transfer of responsibility for water services provision from local authorities to a water utility, and prepare proposals for implementation, as appropriate with a view to start charging in 2012/2013." It is interesting that Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill opposes the introduction of a charge in 2012, even though his party agreed to it in December. The previous Fianna Fail-led Government's ill-fated national recovery plan, published in November 2010, proposed the introduction of domestic water charges to achieve what the plan described as "significant" operational and capital savings. Given that these were commitments made by a Fianna Fail-led Administration, I am amazed at the collective amnesia being demonstrated by my good friend Senator Diarmuid Wilson.