David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last week I requested that we have a debate on water charges. The Leader said yesterday that we had had plenty of time last year when the Water Services (No. 2) Bill was before the House to debate these issues. I do not accept that, because circumstances have changed since then, but also, during those lengthy debates, we were given an assurance by the then Minister of State that this House and the Dáil would be consulted on the pricing regime. The Leader will be aware that the Commission for Energy Regulation has put out for public consultation the water services plan, which includes the charges and the charging mechanism. Is he telling me that Members of the Seanad and the Dáil will not have the opportunity to question the Minister on this issue? We were told, as part of that debate, that we would be informed and consulted, yet it is not happening. What we do know is that households are now facing an even bigger charge than that proposed by the Government, and many people will not be able to afford to pay. The Leader might be able to give advice to people who cannot even pay their mortgages, put food on the table, pay utility bills such as gas or electricity or put heating oil in their tanks but who will now be landed with a water charge. What advice would he give those people? Which bills should they not pay? He should talk directly to his constituents in Waterford who, I am sure, will be coming to him asking him to explain how they can pay these charges. It is outrageous that the Government is pressing ahead with this measure without having a debate with the democratically elected representatives of the Seanad and Dáil. I again call for such a debate to take place as soon as possible, because not to do so would be to row back on the commitment given to all of us on this side of the House when we challenged the then Minister of State regarding the charging regime and how it would work out. We were promised that we would be consulted, and I hope the Leader will be able to follow through on that and allow those of us on this side of the House to have our input.