With water outages now a daily occurrence in many rural towns and areas in Tipperary, will the Taoiseach's Government continue the folly of bringing a pipe from the Shannon right up to Dublin when almost 50% of the water will leak out of those pipes? It is a matter not only of what leaks out but also of what leaks and seeps back in when the pipes are burst and open. Will the Government reconsider this daft plan? I cannot get over the Taoiseach's Green Party colleagues who will allow for this huge construction and devastation of land and flora and fauna and everything else through our Premier County and all the other counties.

I do not know what the Deputy has against Dublin.

I have nothing against Dublin.

Will he allow Dublin people to drink water in 30 years' time?

The pipes should be fixed. I have nothing against Dublin.

That is not a facetious question I ask; it is a very serious one. We met with Irish Water yesterday. Going back to Deputy Canney's point, Irish Water is looking at wastewater treatment plants in towns and villages across the country. Irish Water also made the point to us that there is a real crisis facing us if we do not plan appropriately. That Shannon project is essential-----

It will cost billions.

-----to Dublin's capacity to survive over the next three decades. We really need to get serious-----

Okay, but we are running out of time.

-----in the Houses of the Oireachtas and not just oppose everything-----

We do not oppose everything. This project is nonsensical.

-----because it might be locally popular and ranting and raving about the place.