I want to raise the issue of Irish Water and believe that the current committee is making good progress. According to reports in the media this morning, there is now great hope that the committee will have a consensus on finally doing away with water charges and everyone in the Chamber should welcome that. I commend my own party, especially my colleague Deputy Eoin Ó Broin, on leading the fight on that in the Oireachtas and I commend the trade union movement and the Right2Water campaign, who have been absolutely solid. I also commend the hundreds of thousands who marched over the past number of years because it was people power that determined the end of water charges.

I remind people why we are opposed to water charges. It is because they represent regressive taxation. I was surprised that the Labour Party, in particular, never understood that it was regressive, toll booth taxation.

Tell that to Deputy Paul Murphy.

For people on the left to cite regressive, toll booth taxation as something we should support is frankly bizarre. Sinn Féin has always been consistent and if people check our policy, they will see that we have been opposed to water charges from the get-go.

Deputy Paul Murphy will vouch for that.

Deputy Paul Murphy will validate that as well.

We do not have water charges in the North.

A report is due on water charges and I do not want to reopen the debate now. The report will be fully debated in this House as there is a duty to put it before both Houses

I call on the Leader to ensure that happens as quickly as possible. I welcome the fact that, even though they had to be dragged kicking and screaming, we finally got Fianna Fáil to a place where they can align with us in getting rid of water charges. Fair play to the slow learners on my left.