Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It will have to be in the plan. If I say I am against the imposition of standing charges, that is fine and that would be a popular thing to say. It would make for a great story, but the fact is that even if I do not use water I still have to pay the standing charge because it goes towards covering the cost of the other services that are provided to my meter.

On Senator Healy Eames's question about those who cannot pay the charge and those who will not pay it, she is right in that everybody has to pay, because if people do not pay for this who will pay for it? The debt owing will be recovered through a legal process. I travelled to the United Kingdom and saw how its system works there. Customers fall into two categories: those who cannot pay and those who will not pay. Those who cannot pay are in a different situation because they do not have the money and they may be in water poverty. We are dealing with that issue in terms of affordability issues, and that is important. The free allowance is important as well.

In the United Kingdom, those who can pay and those who will not pay are quickly identified and the authorities move directly to issue a civil bill for the amount owing. There is no messing over there. If one can pay the charge but does not pay it, one will find a charge against one's self. That is fair. However, it is not fair to cut off people's supply, because that can give rise to health and other issues. The practice as followed in the UK is the fairest way to proceed.

I do not know if I have answered all the questions, but the general thrust of the Bill is that we do not have a choice about bringing in water charges. They are in place in every country in the OECD except Ireland. I find that everywhere I go people pay water charges. I discovered that China, a good communist country, has water charges in place also. I am not saying that the Senators will be going there or anything like that.