Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Government on making the move yesterday not only with regard to water but a particular aspect, which the fact Irish Water was demanding PPS numbers from its customers, the citizens. Yesterday the Government accepted the point Irish Water will not have the right to demand PPS numbers. Not only this, but it will be made illegal for it to hold on to the information it already has. I raise this because No. 26 on the Order Paper was a Bill I introduced on 4 November, two weeks ago, to deal with exactly this point and make it illegal for Irish Water to demand PPS numbers and for it to hold on to any of the information it had. I am delighted the Government listened to the voice of the people and stated this will not happen. I ask the Leader to withdraw the Bill because I believe we have achieved what we set out to achieve in the area.

I would like to add support to the concerns Senator Sean Barrett raised with regard to postcodes. The House deserves a debate on it. We have had discussions on it at meetings of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications, but the figures mentioned by Senator Barrett are so huge it would be wrong to allow it go through without cost analysis. If this House has a purpose it is to watch for exactly this type of thing and ensure we have this debate. The sum could reach approximately €50 million and we do not know its benefit. It may well be there are huge benefits, but I do not understand or know them. As Senator Barrett stated, every postman in the country knows almost everybody's address, where people live and how to deliver to them. There may well be something behind it that we do not understand. I would welcome a debate on it.