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Seanad
‹ Order of Business

Irish Water policy and legislation

Summary

Senator Craughwell seeks a debate on Irish Water, opposing water charges and criticising expenditure on advertising and meters. Interjections concern speaking opportunities and the need for independent advice when passing legislation.

I would like us to have a full debate in this House on the matter.

It gives me no pleasure to ask for a debate on Irish Water in this House. Water charges are an additional tax our citizens are being asked to pay and they have clearly refused to pay it. The figure of 43% in respect of those who have paid the charges is no great win for anybody. What is upsetting about this is the amount of money that is being pumped in to try to sell this, including some €600,000 in advertising, and the installation of water meters all over the place for no purpose. We need a debate on Irish Water in this House, as we need to decide where we are going with this.

Senator David Norris drew attention this morning to the Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill. I am getting concerned about the number of Bills that are appearing before the House to be taken without debate or on various Stages. With respect to the point the Senator made about the Clerk of the Seanad and the Clerk of the Dáil, I wonder how many politicians would be happy if they could serve only for a certain period of time and were no longer allowed to serve thereafter.

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It is probably something we should bring in.

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Perhaps it is. The bottom line is that we need independent people. Having served as president of a teachers' union, I know that without a general secretary on whose independence I could always rely-----

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A cat has nine lives.

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Yes. I have actually had ten. This is my eleventh career.

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The next one will be President.

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Without an independent adviser, I could not have moved forward. I ask that we take more care in bringing in these Bills.

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