Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I second the amendment. The definition of approved water charges plan is somewhat of a misnomer when we can see that it is very much a tax on water and on households. In the debate yesterday on the way this charge will be implemented it was stated that this was a regressive tax that does not take into account a family's ability to pay, that grant aid will not be available to people who want to do remedial work and that it will be left to them to put stones in their cisterns, as the Minister mentioned yesterday, to try to reduce the amount of water they are using. This must be seen for what it is, namely, an extra tax on people who are already stretched and this is our way of saying we are unhappy about this plan being introduced in this manner. It has not been thought through. It will not conserve water. The necessary investment in dealing with the leakages will not be put in place, and we will not put in place the remedial measures such as rain water harvesting etc. We have no option, therefore, but to oppose this part of the Bill.