Caít Keane (Fine Gael)

The Senator believes that you close your eyes and it will go away. That is what has been done and the clock is ticking. This Bill will amend the Water Services Act 2007. It proposed the establishment and implementation of a registration and inspection process. We had to be brought by the European Court of Justice and regulations and directives to do this. As the Minister said and it is worth restating, if we do not comply with the European Court of Justice ruling, Ireland will be subject to significant fines by the court. A lump sum penalty of €2.7 million and continuing daily fines of €26,000 per day, which is the equivalent of €9.5 million per annum. What Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill is recommending is that we pay a fine of €9.5 million rather than implement good regulations. We must implement the regulations but Senator Ó Domhnaill wants to send this money down the Swanee.