Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

There are many problems with this conservation measure. First, it is not related to conservation. The memorandum states that people get €100 per household which people "can use to assist with water conservation in their homes". They could use it to buy watering cans, garden sprinklers or to buy €100 worth of Ballygowan water. I am unsure what it is supposed to be conserving. It is all over the place.

Second, it is unrelated to income. We are paying this out to millionaires for their swimming pools and so on. Subsidies of this kind have no place in an economy that is still borrowing €8 billion per year. It gives the same to people on social welfare as sur-taxpayers. It is an unconstrained transfer and has nothing to do with conservation.

It is paid from the Department of Social Protection. I have argued in the House many times that the universalism of benefits like child benefit paid in this unconstrained way right up the income scale of sur-taxpayers, millionaires and so on is wrong. The redistribution of social welfare in particular should be towards low-income people. We should pay more attention to the couple who must pay the €260 poll tax that Irish Water has imposed.

The Commission for Energy Regulation is supposed to be advising on the matter. It put up the public service obligation by over 50% for electricity. The commission has already given us the highest prices for electricity found anywhere in Europe. The belief of some Ministers in quangos for the purposes of serving consumer interests is extraordinary.

The Central Bank could not regulate banks. Bus fares have increased massively and they are supposed to be regulated by the National Transport Authority. Health insurance costs increased by 58% when we have the Health Insurance Authority. It suits civil servants to say there is a quango to deal with something but they appoint the quango which does what it is told and never represents the consumer. The idea that the Commission for Energy Regulation should have any role in this is unacceptable. It has done enough damage already to consumers of water and energy in this country.