Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I thank Fianna Fáil for tabling this motion because it exposes much of the inaccurate and untrue information it has put before the House tonight. Fianna Fáil is now bringing forward unrealistic proposals. The abolition of Irish Water would be a retrograde step at this point. Irish Water was established with a view to redressing years of under investment in our water infrastructure and to putting together a structure that would invest in our water and waste water systems in a realistic manner rather than in the piecemeal way done through the local authorities. We had a crazy situation where every one of the 31 local authorities did its own thing in regard to water infrastructure investment. Infrastructure stopped at the county boundary and could not move into the next county. This was ludicrous. Since Irish Water has been established, we have seen significant investment in infrastructure, with some €343 million invested in 2014, €400 million in 2015 and an expected €500 million in 2016.

We judge an operation or utility on how well it performs and on whether it is producing results. It is said, "By their deeds, you shall know them." In parts of this country and in my new constituency of Roscommon-Galway where we canvassed during the by-election, reference was made at every second door to the boil water notices and we were asked when they would be lifted. During 2015, those notices were lifted for over 17,000 people in County Roscommon. Some of those individuals had been subject to such notices since 2009, which was unacceptable.

Reference has been made to costs and the need for everybody to pay a little for their water. I see nothing wrong with asking people in towns, villages and cities to make a contribution to the provision of water. In rural Ireland, where people depended on group water schemes during the past 40 to 60 years, they contributed to the cost of their water supply. They gladly paid but wondered why people in cities and large towns did not pay any contribution towards water and sewerage services. We can only admit that was not fair. I believe it is appropriate that everybody should make a modest contribution towards the provision of water and wastewater.

Let us consider what Irish Water inherited when it assumed responsibility for water provision just two years ago. I listened with great interest to what Senator Barrett said regarding this utility being a hated entity. There certainly was controversy over its establishment and there were quite a few teething problems. Mistakes were made but the company has bedded in well and is now making a significant contribution to expediting the provision of a good and safe water supply for homes. It inherited a situation where almost 1 million people were dependent on drinking water supplies that required remedial action. Almost 20,000 people in Dublin were on boil water notices and spare capacity was between 1% and 2%. I am informed it is now close to 10% as a result of the fixing of leaks and the remediation of supply problems.

I am pleased when I walk through my home town to see Irish Water engaged in a major project to upgrade the water and wastewater system of the town of Ballinasloe.