Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)

I would like to be associated with the comments of my colleague on the visit of President Zelenskyy earlier this afternoon. It was an honour and privilege to be there. Many of his words stuck with me, but in particular that Europe cannot turn its back on its values. The values behind the European Union are generally unity and solidarity. It is important that we are unified with our Ukrainian friends and our Ukrainian brothers and sisters because they are fighting a war for us on the eastern front of the European Union. It is important that we never forget that and that we are very mindful of it.

I mention a local community group in my area – Rylane Community Park Association. It is a fantastic group that I have been involved with myself. On Saturday last, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, was present to turn the sod on a community hub development. This development has received €1.6 million under the community centre investment fund. Over the past 18 months we have seen the delivery of a grass soccer pitch, an AstroTurf pitch and a playground. What I want to speak about today is the connection fee they are being charged by Irish Water for the development of their community hub. This is a volunteer-led community organisation. The quote they received from Irish Water is €69,500 for a water and wastewater connection fee. It seems absurd and ridiculous that a volunteer-led, community organisation that is not for profit is being charged the same commercial rate as any other commercial business. Irish Water's connection fees are too expensive in general but when it comes to a volunteer-led community organisation, the idea that this group, which has fundraised hundreds of thousands since 2016 has bought and developed its property, successfully applied for funding and still has a small shortfall in terms of the delivery of its community hub, will be charged €69,500 by Irish Water, a quote that is not based on usage but is instead based on the diameter of the piping. It does not take actual usage into consideration at all. In a community hub like that, the taps are not going to be running every day and the dressing rooms will not be used every day. I call on the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to come in here to address this matter because it is absurd that Irish Water is charging these fees to volunteer-led community organisations.