Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is interesting that as technology develops, people will be able to harvest more and more rainwater in order to cut costs. Perhaps the Minister of State has a view on this. I am concerned about what will happen when charges are eventually imposed on the most vulnerable. It is only right and proper that everybody - Government and Opposition alike - accept and acknowledge that the increased level of taxation being imposed will reach breaking point at some stage, to the extent that people will say "enough is enough." I hope the timeline the Government has outlined for reaching its budgetary and fiscal targets will be adhered to in the interests of the country and social cohesion. My personal opinion which I have no evidence to support is that this will be a "make or break" year. The general population will accept the taxation measures outlined in the budget last month, but if the Government provides for a similar level of austerity this time next year, we will reach an impasse and may experience serious social breakdown in certain key areas. While I do not want to be a prophet of doom, I must emphasise that the effectiveness of the water authority will hinge on the level of trust between the Government and the people. Will it be more effective than what the local authorities are offering?

Questions have been raised about the transfer of power. I have spoken to people in local authorities who have said it is inevitable that the people currently operating the water regime in local authority areas will operate it under the new water authority. That issue must be addressed. While the installation of meters and the imposition of charges are of critical importance, the first priority will be the cultivation of the resource. As the Minister of State has said repeatedly, leakages in the system have reached unacceptably high levels. I would like to receive an assurance that this will be a major priority for the new authority. There are concerns about whether the necessary investment will be provided for. It is a matter of trust between the Government and the people. Will sufficient resources be provided to address that issue? It is going to be a problem. When people receive their bills at the end of each month, having been told by the media that millions of gallons of water are being wasted, that will also have an impact on the level of trust.