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

That is an example of joined-up thinking. One sees public private partnerships everywhere one goes. There are design, build and operate facilities throughout the country. I understand the major supply for Limerick city comes from a place called Clare Hall just outside the city. I stand to be corrected on that. I do not think there is anybody here from County Limerick. Perhaps I have the wrong location. It is a design, build and operate facility and is managed by a private company. There are many reasons we should have public private partnerships. We should get private money into our infrastructure. They put up the capital. They may design it. They may even run it for us. That is good and very efficient. It works extremely well. The Senator's real question relates to what happens to the cost of that. All the water infrastructure costs will transfer to Irish Water. In other words, it will not be an extra bill for people in Waterford or Kerry. It will relate to the total charge. It will all be put together into one pot called Uisce Éireann. There will be one charge for water, regardless of where one lives.

Senator Cullinane also spoke about regional development. In many parts of the country, there are ghost estates of houses that nobody is ever going to live in. These unsuccessful developments took place because councils decided during the boom to give planning permission for houses and other facilities that were impractical and did not make sense. Thousands of acres of land were rezoned to facilitate the planning permissions which were given by county councils. Much of that land has since been dezoned because it is clear the land in question is never going to be developed. There is a responsibility on councils to have regard to their own development plans, to regional plans and to the national spatial strategy. Such joined-up thinking is needed if we are to get our developments right. I hope that answers the Senators' questions.