Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If we want a debate about water, then let us have it.

There is another concerning aspect that no one here has addressed. Last week, Professor Seamus Coffey from UCC referred to the revelation of the significant drop in the number of people who had paid bills by the end of the last billing quarter. There has been a 50% drop. The company is looking to collect approximately €260 million. That amounts to €65 million per quarter, a significant amount of money.

I was not in the Cabinet. I am not privy to the Attorney General's advice. I do not really mind about all of that. What I am concerned about is the need for us as politicians from Connemara, Waterford, Carlow, Cork or wherever to go back to our people. I want to go back to the people of the lower harbour, Carrigaline, Ringaskiddy and Monkstown in Cork and tell them that we are going to bring in the Cork lower harbour drainage project and give them clean drinking water. I want to tell them that we are going to invest in the water treatment plant and in the lower harbour in Cork. However, we cannot do it unless we have the resources and the money to do it. Fianna Fáil has no plan to do it. Sinn Féin wants to increase all our taxes.