Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

This morning on "Morning Ireland", there was a rather strange discussion in which it transpired that several thousand of those who have paid the household charge are receiving demands to pay it. No records seem to be kept as to who has paid. This is a serious point because tax policy should differentiate between the compliant and non-compliant. We are all here because of the compliant people, and we need to find out how the mistakes were made.

I agree with Senator Harte on the promissory notes and Senator O'Brien on Electric Ireland.

There is a problem with the ESB because its chief executive, with the permission of the regulator of the sector, earns between three and four times as much as the Taoiseach. That is wrong. It is also worrying that the same regulator who allowed a seemingly slack regulation of electricity is about to be appointed the water regulator. I hope that the head of the water industry does not earn four times as much as the Taoiseach. The performance of some of the regulators must be questioned. Are they captured by the industries that they are supposed to regulate in the public interest?