Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This latest U-turn by the Government underlines the complete mess it has made of our most importance natural resource. Reference was made by a Senator opposite to the ESB. When the ESB was established in 1927 it was the most tremendous entity ever delivered for Ireland. It was a well managed project from beginning to end. This Irish Water project has been disastrously managed. The people involved do not have a clue about project management and capitulated to the troika in terms of the speed with which it was believed this project could be managed. The whole thing is a farce.

Fianna Fáil has from day one been opposed to the establishment of Irish Water. The controversy referred to by numerous speakers this evening of consultancy costs, bonuses and over-staffing of this super-quango has borne out Fianna Fáil's fears and has unleashed in our society frightening forces never seen before. There are extreme politically active groups who want to bring down the Government because of its incompetence in the establishment of Irish Water. The concern is not about the establishment of Irish Water but the manner in which establishing it has been handled and the introduction of property taxes at the same time as people were to be charged for water. It does not make sense. The whole thing has been a disaster. The major infrastructural changes in Ireland during the establishment of the ESB was exemplary in terms of delivery, despite that Ireland was at that time only an infant country. The lack of expertise and knowledge in terms of the establishment of Irish Water is atrocious.

The lack of expertise and knowledge in setting it up is atrocious. We have to conserve our water. As a result of this discussion I am becoming more careful when I turn on the tap. Last year, my husband and I visited the site of the Battle of Tewkesbury. I had my hair done in Tewkesbury and I noticed the lady did not use very much water to wash my hair so I asked her if she was charged for water. She said "Of course we are". We have to be brought back to the reality that it is our greatest natural resource and it has to be protected.

There seems to be a unanimous view that our water should not be privatised. We should discuss that. Competition is the spice of life and, as the Minister said, in many ways we have become more efficient.