Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I got a phone call this afternoon from a councillor in Tralee to tell me that the Vincent de Paul in Tralee handed out 1,000 food parcels. The Minister may pass that on to some of our colleagues

The Minister is encouraging me to divorce my wife of 38 years because my neighbour is getting his water for €60 because his is a one-person household. I am paying €160 and the guy up the road who has eight kids is also paying €160. I am seriously considering divorce this evening. It might be a cheaper way of living.

There is some suggestion that the county councils have not done their job over the years in respect of water services. Nobody in this room on either side of the House - I was not here - need stand up and take a bow because they starved the councils of money, therefore they could not have built the water services infrastructure we needed.

I do not understand the purpose of the meters other than to live up to the contracts the Department awarded because there is a fixed charge. We do not need meters. Why bother putting them in? The Minister talks about a usage based system. My neighbours in South County Dublin will be filling their swimming pools while I cannot afford to fill my bath.