Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, said that if we show him the blockages in a system, the Government would unblock them with respect to jobs, businesses or people's livelihoods. There are certainly blockages in the system and Irish Water is presenting a serious blockage if it is affecting business. We have a worrying issue developing in Oranmore, as Irish Water has stated it is to start pipe rehabilitation and water works next Monday, without any consultation with local business. We are talking about a peak time for businesses. There was a meeting last evening involving 50 businesses and there was another meeting a few days before that. These businesses are now considering an injunction as well as protest to prevent the works going ahead next Monday. This is ridiculous as there is no need for it. We want reasonable communication and consultation about the timing of works. That is all that has been asked for. Irish Water has taken a bullying approach and has sent people with no decision-making power to the site. I call for a meeting between Mr. John Tierney and a business delegation in Oranmore. It is pretty bad when I have to stand up in our Seanad to do that because we are not getting direct communication.

I also call for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, to examine the blockages in the system. Retaining jobs is just as important as creating a job. If these works go ahead in the peak season in Oranmore, we will see full-time jobs become part-time jobs, at a minimum. People with rates bills of €127,000 - as put on the record yesterday - will have to call people who have booked holidays or a few days off to say there could be a rock blaster outside the door at 7 a.m. That is no way to treat people, and especially the business people or residents of Oranmore. Everyone should have a say.

I call on Mr. Tierney, the chief executive officer of Irish Water, to get real and negotiate rather than have the company take a bullying approach. That is the approach Irish Water has used and, mark my words, if it does this in Oranmore and get away with it, the company will do it elsewhere. I am standing with the people on this.