Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Irish Water seems to be an organisation that brings 250,000 people onto the streets at regular intervals. This House and the Comptroller and Auditor General, a constitutional officer, should be looking at it. This House is protected by the Constitution. We know that the Government tried to get rid of it, but the people decided otherwise. That is why the Comptroller and Auditor General is in place.
Let us look at all of the malpractices associated with the Bill. Ervia was referred to. In December 2013 - the first anniversary - it was announced that Bord Gáis Energy would be sold to a consortium led by Centrica. Therefore, in including it in Ervia the Government's assurances about privatisation do not amount to the proverbial hills of beans.
Let us look at the revelation that no records were kept in the Minister's Department of meetings with Bord Gáis energy in advising not to install meters. We are investigating why the country is bankrupt. The same indictment of the Department of Finance for not keeping written records applies to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in this case. Let me read what was said:

It is best to maintain a formal written record. This ensures that Ministers are provided with the best possible advice from their officials. A written record enhances the accountability of officials to provide advice, and forces clarity of thought. It helps to ensure clear internal communications between different areas of the Department. A record also establishes clear accountability for advice not taken. The lack of a coherent record of budgetary advice represents a major shortcoming in the systems [the Department of Finance in that case and, in this case, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government].

If there are records, let them be published today. If there are no records, let the names of the officials who did not take records of the meetings, after which we were walked into buying €500 million worth of meters, be published.
We have heard about waste. It turned out that the bulk of the cost was related to the engineers whom the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government had hired en masseand that an extra 900 had been added.

We have heard about the overmanning and they have all been kept on. The amount of €460 million for this company is referenced in section 10, there is the amount of €59 million with regard to section 12, and section 13 refers to appointing more members to the board. We heard claims by the Government of this being a talking shop of 60 when it was trying to abolish the Seanad. Now there is reference to two more members of this board. Is that what the Minister of State thought the placards were about outside these Houses? The board should have been removed years ago. Its members should have been fired. Somebody has to be accountable for this mess. The Minister of State and his Department are running from appraisal of this body by the Comptroller and Auditor General, an officer under this Constitution who reports to the Committee of Public Accounts. This body needs such appraisal much more than any one we faced in the past three or four years of this Government.