Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy John Paul Phelan, for coming into the House to update us on the Government's plans to provide equity and fairness for group water schemes.

The lack of information on this issue has been frustrating for those in group water schemes. At a time when Irish Water is actively informing all those who are due refunds, there is little detail available regarding how equality for other water users can be achieved. I am hosting a public meeting later this week in Mayo on the issue which reflects the frustration of those who do not yet know how their access to water will be provided and how it will be funded into the future. Even when the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, was introducing the Water Services Bill in the Dáil, he noted that the legislation provides clarity on public water and wastewater services but that there is still some distance to go in achieving clarity for the group water schemes.

As the Minister of State will be aware, the Joint Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services reported earlier this year and stated that the committee recommends that the principles of equity of treatment and equivalent financial support should be applied equally between households on public water supplies and those on group water schemes, group sewerage schemes and those using domestic wastewater treatment systems and individual domestic water supplies. It is not good enough that many low-income households in rural Ireland have to continue to pay twice for water as matters currently stand. I ask why such a key recommendation of both the expert report and the Joint Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services has not yet been implemented. The legislation being put forward at present should have included, as my colleague, Deputy Eoin Ó Broin, stated, provision for group water schemes.

The key difference is that group water schemes receive an annual subsidy of €70 per household but it does not cover the full annual cost of accessing the water supply. Those connected to a public water supply who are currently customers of Irish Water do not pay an annual charge for accessing that supply and equity would mean that the State would cover the full annual cost of the group water scheme users accessing the water supply.

The submission of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes to the special committee showed the experience and extraordinary voluntary effort that goes into every scheme and this is often neglected in the debate around the water supply. These are friends and neighbours. They are not debt collectors. They have all of their own issues, their own household bills, their own health concerns, etc. These are volunteers and they find it increasingly difficult to collect payment for what is an essential service which should be supplied.

Another important matter is the need for a proper timely programme to be put in place to facilitate the takeover of schemes. This currently takes far too long and the schemes are left in doubt as to when the necessary upgrades and takeovers will happen. There is a need for clarity around that as well.

How far progressed is the review process on the subsidy and will the Exchequer funding in the form of subsidy payments be reflected in the provision of water to households on group water schemes in the same manner as the rest of the country out of general taxation? If the only clarity to come out of the Water Services Bill is that water is now paid for through general taxation, it is only fair to ask for the same regime to apply right across the State.