Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As a nation and a planet we will reach a stage where we will use 40% more water than will be available. In this country we have plenty of water but it costs a lot of money to treat it and we cannot just take it from the sky and drink it. We must ensure that we encourage the economic well-being of this country and bring people to this country. As the Minister has indicated, we need to bring information and technology companies and those involved with the web to replace those which have closed. We do not want to send out the wrong message. We are at 98% capacity in our water usage in Dublin and most European countries have 15% capacity left. We are teetering on the edge of disaster, which could come if there is one major problem affecting 4% of total capacity. I ask people to please use our national resources constructively for the benefit of the people.

The establishment of Irish Water is the best model to ensure a sustainable water infrastructure and security of supply. In his speech, the Minister set out some of the benefits. Nevertheless, Irish Water has been criticised from the right, left and centre; this is rightly so in some instances, particularly with regard to communication and how it dealt with people's uncertainty. As the Minister indicated, it has installed 533,000 meters in a little over 16 months, with much interruption.