Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There seems to be uncertainty in this regard. One point that has not been raised concerns the number of houses that already have meters installed. I understand that in the case of any house built in County Meath in the past ten years provision has been made for the installation of a meter. I did not hear the Minister of State's speech, but is he making provision for those houses that already have been provided for, where it will not cost us much to install meters? There are many such houses. I know Donegal County Council charges for the supply of water to holiday homes. Will the owners of such homes be charged again? There is, therefore, much uncertainty in this regard.

The Labour Party opposed this measure before the general election, but it is now supporting it. It abolished water charges in the 1990s, a matter about which Senator John Whelan spoke.