Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Caithfidh mé a rá gur thacaigh Sinn Féin go drogallach leis an bpíosa reachtaíochta seo mar nach bhfuil sa chás seo i ndáiríre ach cleas polaitiúil le tóin Fhianna Fáil a shábháil.

It is not often I agree with Senator Coffey on issues, but I certainty agree with him in this case. We all know this legislation is a kick to touch to save face for Fianna Fáil in light of the extraordinary public mobilisation on water charges. Fianna Fáil needed to kick this issue to touch politically for nine months to try to rejuvenate itself. It is clear, even from the statements this morning, where Fianna Fáil stands on water charges.

We have heard a great deal of talk about the new politics in these Houses as well as the need to respect the mandate and the need to put a Government together. I put it to those in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that if they really believed in that, then they would have put the issue of water charges to a vote in the Dáil and the Seanad. Maybe it would have been defeated, but surely that would have been part of the new mandate as well.