Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important that we have a full independent inquiry into the alleged bugging of the office of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. I was out and about in Galway yesterday and there is much public concern. While the appropriate word might not be “dodgy”, there is certainly a lot of doubt. Questions are being asked about what type of country we are living in and what type of culture this is. We thought we had gone away from that but serious doubts have been raised about penalty points and top-ups. All that is feeding into doubt. I take cognisance of what others have said. We might need to pursue the issue further following tomorrow’s session with the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in the committee.

The Leader will know that I tabled an item for discussion on the Adjournment today but the Cathaoirleach ruled it out of order. I was seeking a debate on Irish Water, with seven questions to be answered. From next September, every householder in this country will be billed for water, with payment starting next January. The Cathaoirleach ruled my adjournment matter out of order on the basis that it should form part of a substantive debate. In that context, I ask the Leader to agree to a substantive debate on Irish Water. Questions remain unanswered concerning staff numbers, bonus payments, pensions, obsolete metering and the carrying out of a cost-benefit analysis. We also need to know why the Siemens bid to install meters for €800 million, without an up-front payment, was rejected. These issues are of enormous public concern. I ask the Leader to schedule that debate because the issues arising now were unknown to us at the time of our previous debate on Irish Water.