This week, people have been outraged by the most recent display of stroke politics. While that particular fiasco plays out, however, the Taoiseach has managed to pull off another fairly big stroke. That is, as of tomorrow, he has shifted the burden of taxation from the Exchequer balance sheet on to individual households by way of the introduction of water charges.

The Government tried to force this on us by telling us that it was first and foremost an exercise in conservation. If that were true, every single person in the State, rather than every household, would have been given a free allowance, such that only wastage exceeding the allowance would be paid for. However, this is not about conservation; the goal is to develop a new funding model. It is a simple as that. Rich and poor will be treated equally and there is no real ability-to-pay clause.

This morning's reports of average costs are essentially an opening salvo, but the caveat is that the rate will be capped only for the first nine months. By then, Irish Water will have achieved its stated aim of turning citizens into customers who will blindly accept their liability and pay water charges. Is that the Taoiseach's plan?

To add further insult to injury, it has been decided that PPS numbers have to be applied. That was in the legislation. The numbers are no longer deemed to be personal. If one does not provide a PPS number, one is essentially fined by way of additional charges. That is what the commissioner said on "Morning Ireland" this morning.

I have repeatedly heard people say to me they feel they are living in a dictatorship. I can understand why they are saying that. We are now in circumstances in which Irish Water has a more complete set of data available to it than any Department, which is crazy.

Has the Deputy a question?

My question is whether it is fair to penalise citizens for exercising their right to privacy regarding PPS numbers. What assurances can the Taoiseach give people, both now and in the future, about the security of their personal information? How can he describe the system as a system of water conservation when everybody does not get a basic free allowance? Does he admit that the purpose of the water charges is not to conserve water but to transfer the burden of taxation from the Exchequer to the individual householder?

The Government has made it clear for a very long time that the intention was to make water charges as fair, equitable and affordable as possible. Previously in the House, the Deputy spoke in favour of them herself. The regulator has determined today that the average water bill will be less than €240 per year. It is confirmed, further, that 80% of all bills will be less than €24 per month.

That is absolute rubbish. Irish Water has underestimated the amounts used, and the Taoiseach knows that.

We welcome the regulator's decision that a free annual allowance of 30,000 litres will be issued for water usage in every household and an additional 21,000 litres for every child under 18. Those who live alone, of whom there are many, will have approximately 40% of their water needs provided by the allowance. They will pay €138 per annum, or less than 50 cent per day. The 411,000 recipients of the household benefits package, including pensioners, carers and disability benefit recipients, will receive an additional allowance of €100 per year to assist with water costs. Charges will be capped for people with particular medical conditions who may require the use of a higher volume of water.

The regulator has changed the condition in respect of boil water notices. There will be no payment required until 24 hours after the lifting of a notice.

What about people with hard water?

The PPS number is required to determine the household allocation and, if applicable, the children's allocation. Irish Water is a public entity. It will not be sold. It is prescribed in law that the information-----

That is rubbish.

We did not come down in the last shower.

The second last.

The second last, maybe. What did Deputy Durkan come down in? A hurricane-----

-----in regard to PPS numbers will be used solely and specifically for the purpose intended, that is, to determine accurately the allowances for households, including where there are children involved.

For the Deputy's information, I understand that Sinn Féin has suddenly come forward with a brand new policy of keeping Irish Water but not having any water charges for domestic consumption. We should realise that this decision would require €850 million extra in cuts if the party were ever to get its hands on the levers of power.

First and foremost, I am most certainly in favour of conserving water. It is expensive to produce and we should not be allowing 40% of it to leak into the ground.

Hear, hear.

I am absolutely in favour of conserving water. What is happening here is not about conservation but about the transfer of a tax burden from the Exchequer to the individual householder. I refer to people who would not be in a position to pay the tax if it were levied under an income tax regime.

The Taoiseach stated that Irish Water would not be sold. The State will not be selling it soon. Who is to say, however, that it cannot and will not be sold in the future? Legislation changes all the time. People do not believe it cannot be sold. One is required not only to provide the PPS number of adults in a household but also those of children. These numbers could potentially be used and sold as an asset, as I stated previously.

What the Government is not telling us is that it is charging students with means-tested grants who are from households that are not wealthy. It is charging social welfare recipients - those under 25 - in receipt of just €100 per week. There are many categories for whom €130 represents a lot of money. It is a full week's income. The ability-to-pay clause has not been included. It is not a conservation measure and I challenge the Taoiseach to tell me that it is.

Five hundred euro for a family of four.

The Deputy is well aware of the situation where water in Ireland is concerned. Some €1.2 billion in costs are funded by the taxpayer and around 40% of the water is leaking away. Around 20,000 people are subject to boil-water notices. Three or four dozen treatment works are substandard and need to be attended to. There is a requirement for major regional infrastructure throughout the country. The Deputy made reference to the greater Dublin area in particular. Clearly, the investment of approximately €300 million per year is less than 50% of what has been required to deal with this. This was the reason for the Government's decision to set up Irish Water as an entity that could borrow-----

Jobs for the boys.

-----and invest and make a contribution that would be as fair, affordable and equitable as possible.

The PPS numbers are used to determine the number of children in a household and who is receiving allowances in respect of children. They are used to determine the appropriate allowance to be granted, including for children. Irish Water will not be sold, and that is enshrined in law, as is the protection of the data in respect of PPS numbers. The data can be used only for the purpose intended.

Clearly, the regulator's decisions and announcements today have been broadly accepted by people-----

No, they have not.

-----in the knowledge that the regulator is now implementing the decisions and directions given to it by the Government in respect of policy in so far as average metered charges are concerned and policy on allowances per household and per child. From that perspective, the capping at the rate of the assessed charge for the first nine months has been broadly accepted by people also. They will get used to a changed culture in respect of the use of water. People in Roscommon who see the works on water treatment infrastructure will be very glad to see an end to boil water notices, which have applied in that county for over ten years in some cases.