Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this debate and the many diverse views expressed on all sides of the House. It is welcome that we discuss Irish water, an essential and important natural and national resource. I will address the issues as far as I can in the limited time I have.

Some Senators spoke about rain harvesting, an important water conservation measure. The Government is prepared to consider proposals to include further water conservation measures in the building regulations. That is something we will look at further.

Senator Norris asked why we need to give water conservation grants in the sum of €100 to householders. This universal payment will be administered and paid by the Department of Social Protection. It will support households in taking conservation measures. Simple interventions such as the purchase of a basic water butt are possible. This would cost less than the sum provided in the grant and would assist in reducing water charges for many households. A water butt recycles rainwater for use in watering gardens, washing cars and patios and so forth. The grant can also be used for simple interventions such as the installation of efficient shower heads and flush devices in toilets. This would reduce water consumption and increase awareness of water usage in the home. The capped charges announced last week can be beaten by households reducing their water consumption by such simple interventions and measures. The grant can also be used against the charges.

More investment is needed in our water services and system. The differences expressed by many of the speakers and their parties concerns how the investment can be raised, provided and utilised to improve the water system so that it will meet the needs of future generations, citizens and businesses. There is a clear choice. We can either be innovative, as the Government is doing, by setting up a national utility, along the lines of the ESB, a semi-State body that already exists, or raise funds through general taxation and taking it from the budgets of health, education and social welfare. This needs to be acknowledged by Members offering alternatives. The question that needs to be asked is from where will the money come. There is no doubt that investment is needed. We must ask if we have invested enough in the past and, if not, how are we going to fund the infrastructure deficit that has arisen.

The answer to the first question is obvious. We have not invested anything near what is required to deliver a fit-for-purpose, modern, efficient and reliable water and sewerage system across this country. If we had, we would not have the number of boil water notices, water supply constraints - look at Dublin alone which almost ran out of water last year - the unacceptable levels of leakage in the system and nor would we have raw sewage entering rivers and seas in places throughout the country. It is not sustainable to leave things as they are. That is patently obvious. The fundamental issue here is additional funding for water services and how it will be raised.

I listened with interest to the contributions from the main Opposition parties - Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. Senator Byrne repeatedly questioned where the figure of €400 per annum that Fianna Fáil proposed to introduce by 2012, over two years ago, is to be found. I will tell the Senator where the figure comes from. It comes from the national recovery plan his party published in 2010.