Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

While the Fianna Fáil Party will not oppose the Order of Business, we propose to raise a number of issues. The Deputy Leader and those Senators who have served on local authorities will be aware of the minor works scheme, under which funding is provided annually to address flood and storm damage, such as that experienced this year. It is worth noting that while a number of high profile cases of storm damage occurred, notably in counties Galway, Clare and Kerry, many other areas also suffered damage. In counties Donegal and Sligo, for example, the estimated cost of the damage was in excess of €1.5 million and between €500,000 and €1 million, respectively. County Leitrim experienced significant road damage which will cost approximately €500,000 to repair. I hope the Deputy Leader will raise with the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, the requirement to make funds available to counties which may have a lower profile in terms of news coverage of the disaster, but nonetheless experienced suffering, damage and difficulties that are worthy of being addressed through the minor works scheme.

Irish Water is the main issue I wish to discuss. While I will not propose an amendment to the Order of Business to have the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, come before the House to discuss the issue, it is essential that he appear before us next week. The Minister spoke of making omelettes and breaking eggs. As this story has evolved, the eggs have become scrambled. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, stated she does not want a return to the gold standard, bonus culture, a view echoed by the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, when he commented on Irish Water.

We have the legacy issue of the Government choosing, in spite of a recommendation in a report costing €180,000 that it should not do so, to use the expertise of Bord Gáis when establishing Irish Water. Since then, €86 million has been spent on securing expertise from outside Bord Gáis. That company's bonus culture has sneaked into Irish Water where staff are set to receive bonuses of up to 10% of salary. I, and I am sure many other Senators, received an e-mail this morning containing choice language which stated it was typical that Irish Water staff are receiving bonuses even though the company has not begun to trade yet. For what are they receiving bonuses?