Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Crown with regard to the lack of clarity about water charges. When the House debated the legislation to introduce water charges, we questioned the Minister, Deputy Phil Hogan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Fergus O'Dowd, about the proposed cost. If the economic cost of the water charges was to be borne by every house in the country, the average charge would be in the region of €750, but we learned this morning in the media that our worst nightmares are coming true, with the proposal for an introductory charge of approximately €240, together with a standing charge that every household will have to pay. The Commission for Energy Regulation is responsible for the charges and it is inevitable that in time the full cost will be brought to bear on every household. The House must debate this issue this morning. Clarification is required. The local elections are imminent and Ministers are saying the charges will not be that bad. That will not wash with people after 24 May. At the moment Fine Gael and Labour candidates are looking for votes and telling people on the doorsteps that the charges will not be that bad because their Minister says so. The promise that the charges will not be that bad will not pay the water charges when the bills are sent out in the latter half of this year.

We need a debate on this issue, which is affecting people across the country. The Government pressed ahead with water charges without any allowance for ability to pay, and many households will be unable to pay them. The Government has failed to make a submission to the Commission for Energy Regulation under the consultation process. We may learn more this morning after the Cabinet meeting, but this House should have a debate on the issue today, given that it is a matter of national importance.