Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We see it how they have tried to stall the legislation in the Dáil. I agree on one thing. There was much concern in this House yesterday where Senators debated the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, which is a matter of public health, for over eight hours. I agree with my colleague, Senator Ó Céidigh, that water provision is a matter of public health in that we are providing clean, healthy water for citizens.Some Opposition parties take contradictory stances in respect of alcohol control and water provision.

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services did a valuable and good job under the chairmanship of Senator Ó Céidigh. I commend him on the independent and firm way in which he chaired that committee because it was a very difficult time. The various views and perspectives were heard in a fair manner and were taken into account. There were many alternative and opposing opinions but a majority report was issued to the Minister and the Department. I commend the work of that committee, whether the members agreed or not. There was opportunity for rows to take place, divergent views of be put forward and the aspirations of our citizens to be heard because we have an obligation to citizens to provide a quality water network not just for this generation but for future generations. We also have obligations under the EU water framework directives, as has been mentioned, and if we do not meet them, we will expose the country and taxpayers to huge fines, which, if Senators will excuse the pun, will also represent water down the drain.

I welcome this legislation once and for all. I also welcome the charges for excessive use above a reasonable threshold. The latter has been agreed at 1.7 times the average rate of consumption as set by the independent Commission for Regulation of Utilities. That is fair and a political compromise. That is what politics is about. I hope it provides a way forward.

Irish Water, as a utility, deserves our support. It is a national utility like the ESB, for which I worked for 20 years and of which we are all very proud. Irish Water deserves the same support. It deserves certainty in the context of both its funding streams and the capital investment it will need to make regarding water infrastructure.

I live in Waterford, a coastal county, which struggled for years to retain blue flags in respect of its beaches. We all speak of our pride in our tourism industry and our environment. It was a national disgrace that raw sewage was flowing into the waters of Dunmore East and Tramore, beautiful, scenic tourist spots that could not get blue flags for their beaches until recently. As a Government Senator and a former Minister of State who supported Irish Water all the way, I am proud to say that Irish Water ensured that the necessary investment in water treatment infrastructure for Ardmore, Dunmore East and Tramore was made. As a result, these towns can now proudly fly their blue flags because the waters there are clean. That is the legacy of difficult decisions taken by my former Government colleagues in Fine Gael and Labour. They made the decisions in the interests of our citizens and our environment. They were not populist decisions. We did not oppose anything for the sake of attracting easy votes. Instead, we decided to invest in order that our citizens might have the infrastructure they deserve. That is one example.

Galway city suffered a serious outbreak of cryptosporidium some years ago and this led to businesses and restaurants being obliged to close. Cryptosporidium has affected many villages and towns in the interim and boil water notices were issued in many parts of the county. In addition, there are capacity problems in Dublin. Unless we invest in infrastructure, those problems will continue to obtain.

It was ironic to hear Opposition politicians screaming when a water main in Meath burst and Drogheda and the whole of east Meath had no water for several weeks, possibly months. The first people out screaming were those who opposed the establishment of Irish Water. It was so ironic. I kept my mouth shut at the time but members of the electorate are intelligent people and they know that without investment in the necessary infrastructure, this type of problem will continue to arise.

I urge the Minister to ensure that the refund scheme is put in place and I acknowledge those who paid their water charges. It is important now that they are treated fairly, as recommended by the joint committee. The Minister is setting up an online system to inform people about when they will receive their refunds. It is important that this happens. It is also important that water provision for rural dwellers is not forgotten. By means of co-operative and group schemes, these people provided funding for water provision in rural areas. We need to ensure that they are continuously supported by Government grants and subsistence aid. Those people have their own wells and septic tanks and they should also be treated fairly in order to ensure that said wells and tanks are maintained to a high standard. They should be treated in the same way as urban dwellers, particularly in the context of investment in water infrastructure.

I wish the Minister well with the Bill. It is important that we move on from this sorry saga in our political history and get fully behind the great utility that Irish Water will prove to be. I am sure it will serve the country in the same way the ESB has done for many decades.