I am not surprised there is a Fine Gael revolt over Irish Water as the management of the company is an absolute disaster. I do not concur with the terribly disparaging remarks made by Deputy Anthony Lawlor about the chief executive which are not repeatable in the House.

They were corrected.

Come on.

The revolt taking place is a result of the two by-elections at the weekend.

An unfortunate leak.

On Sunday the Government decided to introduce panic measures to alleviate the political damage caused to Fine Gael and the Labour Party. In County Roscommon 20,000 people are on boil water notices. Commitments were given by the Fine Gael candidate that no charge would apply to these 20,000 people. This was not mentioned in the budget or in any press release since from Irish Water. This was an effort to try to get votes in Roscommon-South Leitrim. I will pursue this matter through an Adjournment debate, with the permission of the Leas-Chathaoirleach, to see exactly what is involved.

Fianna Fáil opposed the Water Services Bill because a full audit of the network should be completed and it should contain fair allowances for families. Water is a basic necessity of life.

It must be piped and treated.

The Government has now moved in this direction. A total of 200,000 low income and unemployed families will receive no allowance under the budget which will be redrawn within days of being announced with great fanfare. Pensioners with a taxable income who qualify for the household benefits package will benefit from the budget but not unemployed people. The Government will have to review in the Finance Bill the position on water charges. Another anomaly has arisen whereby landlords with the PPS numbers of their tenants can return the form without the permission of the tenants. This was brought to the attention of Senator Darragh O'Brien this morning by a constituent. All of these anomalies arise.

The Senator's time is up.

Another complication-----

In fairness, the Leader yesterday promised a debate on Irish Water in the coming weeks with the Minister.

Will the chief executive of Irish Water come to the house and respond? The Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, has no knowledge whatsoever. He is absolutely redundant as far as this issue is concerned. The poor fellow has no clue as far as Irish Water is concerned.

The Senator's time is up.

It is the most amazing thing. I have never come across such incompetent Ministers in the history of the State than those appointed in the reshuffle.

Fianna Fáil was worse.

We could help with a few names.

It sounds like there is a drip on the other side of the House.

You can drip away, but when it comes to the next election you will be gone.

Yesterday I admonished Members not to catcall across the Chamber. It demeans and devalues the House. Senators should make their points and not be personal.

The Leas-Chathaoirleach is absolutely right.

The Senator would be the first to look for a lesson.

Senator Terry Leyden's concerns about the Labour Party and Fine Gael are a little like the corpse expressing concern about those at the wake.

The Senator has quickly forgotten the local elections. There are a lot of former Fine Gael councillors walking around the place not knowing what to do, if they are not appointed to a State board, that is.

Bí cúramach anois, a Sheanadóir.

As I am sure Fianna Fáil is very deeply upset about the result of the Roscommon-South Leitrim by-election, I will say no more about it.

Its vote was more than that of Fine Gael and the Labour Party combined.

We held the vote in Roscommon-South Leitrim.

What?

We held the vote in Roscommon-South Leitrim.

Tá an t-am nach mór istigh, a Sheanadóir.

Senator Terry Leyden raised the issue of Irish Water. We had a great discussion about it at the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party meeting. It was not a bun fight; it was a great discussion and progress was made. Our attitude to Irish Water, which I am sure is the same as Fianna Fáil's, is that we need better contact if there is a problem. We cannot be fobbed off by being given a number and then hearing nothing for a long time. There are teething problems with Irish Water, but the ordinary people are prepared to pay for water once it is fair and everyone pays up. Those stirring up trouble and telling people not to pay will sneak in themselves and pay it and leave people in the lurch, which they did with property tax. We need an early discussion on Irish Water. Does the Leader have it on the agenda?

I agree completely with what my colleague Senator Sean D. Barrett stated on Irish Water. I listened with great interest and amusement to the spokesperson, a woman, speaking about it and denying the fact there were any bonuses. She said there was performance related remuneration. Performance related remuneration equals bonus and let us be honest about it. This is a fact - bonuses are being paid. As a result of how local authority staff were taken over, there are 2,000 surplus workers. We are paying 2,000 people to do nothing. A very large number of people are on between €100,000 and €150,000 and it is the same in the Civil Service. Here we are, elected Members of the Parliament, the rulers of the country, who receive approximately €60,000, all of which must be vouched and vetted and we must tap in. We are lackeys. We do not have respect for ourselves. We should be looking for a proper wage and proper conditions. Get rid of all the allowances and have everything vouched.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 12, Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2014 – First Stage, be taken before No. 1. The Bill is entitled "an Act to provide for the regularisation of the residency status of persons who have applied for refugee status and/or subsidiary protection if four years following the submission of such an application the application remains undetermined and to provide for related matters". I understand Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú has agreed to second the amendment.