Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It would take one minute to read a meter. One has to get down on one's knees with a screwdriver and sticks one's head down a hole in the ground into which one cannot see to find out how much one is using. To my mind, the place to have the meter is in the front hall, with a little electronic screen indicating one has used X quantity of water. Instead, the meters have been put in holes in the ground and the caps are being broken by cars and lorries. It has been an unmitigated and complete disaster and now a forum is being set up to consider the issue. I will tell the House who the forum will include - Fine Gael and Labour Party members, at a proportion of two to one, with more jobs for ex-councillors and ex-Deputies. Perhaps the Government parties might need them after the general election when perhaps the Minister of State, Deputy Paudie Coffey, might be there. I believe one of his constituents was appointed to Irish Water also.