David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

I accept some people do not like debate and scrutiny and that is fair enough.

We believe this is an exercise on the part of the Government to collect revenue from people who may not have it to give. This is unfair because it will result in a two-tier system where people who are connected to mains systems in urban areas will not have to pay and those who live in rural communities and on the fringes of towns and cities will be penalised. People living just outside my own city of Waterford are not connected to the mains system. That is not their fault but they will be asked to pay this charge.

The Minister said the charge will be set for five years but there is nothing to prevent the Government returning to the House at some stage to amend the legislation to increase the charge to €100 or €150.