Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join the Leas-Chathaoirleach in welcoming our guests to the House.

It is important that this expertise at local government level is harnessed into the future.

I was interested to learn from Senator Mark Daly that the Fianna Fáil Party is engaged in formulating a policy on water and water charges. Despite being in government for 14 years, it seems his party is only now devising policy in his area. Yet it still found itself able to sign this country up for the installation of water meters and the introduction of water charges as part of its deal with the EU-IMF-ECB troika. That is typical of Fianna Fáil - the party never knows whether it is coming or going.