Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá cuid mhaith pointí déanta ach sílim go bhfuil cuid mhaith pointí eile le déanamh maidir leis an cur chuige atá ag an Rialtas maidir le costais á bhaint ó dhaoine ó thaobh uisce de.

What we are seeing is the third instalment of the great Irish Water scam. The people have not been fooled by it this time, nor were they on the last two occasions, yet the Government is still pressing ahead with water charges. They are being delayed, but they will still be introduced in 2019. Once they are brought in, they can be increased and, as has been pointed out, any new Government could introduce an amended water services Bill to bring forward the date for their imposition.

From what the Minister has said today and what has been said on all Stages of the legislation, it is clear that the water meter programming will continue and that charges will be brought in. We still do not have any constitutional right to water, despite all of the discussions about holding a plebiscite on the issue. This, therefore, is only a introductory offer from the Government. We saw the stick approach in the first and second water services Bills, when the people were told about all of the charges and penalties that would be imposed, including repair and call-out charges to fix leaking pipes. The Government then saw the huge mobilisation and anger in the community. I agree with Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú. I have visited Portugal and Greece where public anger at the way austerity measures were being imposed was much more visible on the streets. The Irish were a little late in demonstrating their anger publicly. However, when they saw the great Irish Water scam, it was a move too far. That is why we have seen such a mobilisation. It was due to that mobilisation that the Government had to row back and bring forward the third item of legislation before us. It will not, however, solve the problem either.

The Minister needs to seriously re-think this matter because people do not agree with the commodification of water. They realise they are being asked to buy a pig in a poke and being set up for the introduction of water metering and charges in the future that will lead to the commodification of water and the privatisation of water services, although the Minister and the Minister of State may tell us that is not the Government's aim.

I believe that is the intention of policy makers at a European level, that the Irish Government is being forced to do this and that the ducks are being lined up for commodification into the future. If the Minister cannot see that, it is a sad day.