Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly. Like all of my colleagues on this side of the House, I also acknowledge the rollback the Minister initiated following his appointment as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. Some of us sat through and contributed to the 17 hours of debate on the original legislation setting up Irish Water, during which, as has been pointed out, the Government accepted no amendments whatsoever. There was no monopoly of wisdom on the Fianna Fáil side of the House; there was wisdom on all sides in all parties and individuals who put forward various amendments and the Minister is to be complimented on having listened to them. He has had, however, little choice but to listen because the main problem has been and remains that the people overwhelmingly do not trust the Government on the question of Irish Water.

Senator Jillian van Turnhout said Irish Water was in place and that there was not much we could do about it. With all due respect, she can do everything about it; she can vote against the Bill. That is what she can do. She can have Irish Water abandoned in favour of a much leaner, more efficient and more accountable entity. That could happen in tandem with the local authorities retaining the right to continue to make the entire water system fit for purpose. It is obvious that the public no longer trusts the Government on the issue of Irish Water. It does not trust Irish Water and I do not think the Minister will ever be able to change this, as that perception is deeply embedded.

Reference has been made to the lobbying that has taken place. I said a few days ago that I had never, in all my time in the House, experienced this number of representations by email on any one issue. I said the number was in excess of 2,500 and counting. This afternoon, at 5.10 p.m., it is in excess of 4,000 and counting. Some 4,000 people across the country have deemed-----