David Norris (Independent)

We have had this argument before, but people used the words "in this country." It is not a scarce resource in this country. I fully approve of water charges, but it would be ridiculous for the Cabinet to spend time considering the details of the mechanical application of water metering. It has no competence in the matter, whatever competence it might have in other areas. This is an engineering matter which should be left to those with competence in it. Of course, there are problems. When I bought my house, the pipe that fed it also fed the factory behind it. It is no longer used, but there is planning permission for an apartment block; presumably, therefore, I will supply water to that entire apartment block. When I asked for the water to be separated, I was told the local authority would not do it. That is a practical problem that can be multiplied across the country.

The situation with water meters is getting close to the e-voting machines scandal. Apparently, it is proposed people will have to pay up to €800 for each meter. They are available on the open market for €80. Why do we not practice what we preach and buy them on the open market?

Whatever about the scarcity of this resource, there will not be any scarcity of it tomorrow, according to Met Éireann. If its forecast is right, we will have the entire rainfall figure for the month of April. Will the Leader ensure, in such circumstances, that we will avoid the situation that arose so sadly in Cork the last time, when the electricity generating authorities did not make provision in time and when the dam in the hydroelectric scheme started to overflow, they released water that added to the flooding. Can we have a assurance there has been a little forward planning and the Cabinet will direct its attention to this matter rather than the minutiae of water metering, about which it knows nothing?