David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Can the Leader tell us when the civil debt Bill will come before the Seanad? It has worked its way through the Dáil this week. This is the fourth item of legislation this Government has brought forward regarding water charges. Essentially, that is what the civil debt Bill is about. The Minister is dressing it up as a Bill which allows all utility companies to recover debts but it is being brought forward to penalise people who either cannot or will not pay the Government's water charges.

We have debated three previous water services Bills, and this is a water services Bill mark 4. In the discussion we had on the first one we were told by Ministers that there would not be any dipping into people's pockets, that this was not a tax, and that Irish Water would not be given the power to take money from people's bank accounts, wages or welfare. We now have a Bill that allows it to do that through the back door and with the permission of the courts, which is essentially what the Bill will allow the courts and Irish Water to do. It does not offer protections, as the Government propaganda states, for those not in a position to pay their water charges because they cannot afford to pay them. This is a punitive Bill brought forward by a Government which is desperate to get people to sign up to a charge many have already taken a decision not to pay because either they cannot or will not pay.

Is the Leader in a position to inform us when the Bill will come into the Seanad when we can have that debate again? Unfortunately, we were misled when the previous water services Bills were brought forward. When those of us who opposed those Bills said this would happen, we were told "No", and shouted down at the time by Ministers who were in the House, including, on the last occasion, the Minister of State, Deputy Coffey, who said that would not happen. Here we are again with the Government having to backtrack and bring forward a Bill I believe is punitive. I look forward to the Bill coming before the House quickly to allow us have that debate.