Ivana Bacik (Independent)

-----rather than being obliged to pay an average charge. I am sure there is a way around the difficulties in this regard. Water charges are not about to be introduced imminently and there is time to achieve a solution that will be both sensible and sustainable.

The Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012 continues today. I welcome the reports in this mornings newspapers in respect of the Tánaiste who, over the heads of certain union leaders, has appealed to trade union members to vote "Yes" in the referendum on the stability treaty on 31 May. This is an important appeal and I hope that when it makes its decision tomorrow, ICTU will not direct its members to vote "No". Any rational reading of the treaty indicates that it would be against the interests of union members for it to be defeated because such an eventuality would give rise to the creation of a great deal of instability. The latter would not be good for jobs or for union members.