Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A great deal of controversy has attended the leaking of the Government memorandum on water charges. I have several questions for the Tánaiste in this regard. I do not raise them from a political perspective but because they echo the questions I am being asked by members of the public. As the local and European elections campaign intensifies, these questions are coming up at almost every doorstep. They are the same questions that are being raised by members of the Tánaiste's party - rightly, in my view. They are the same questions that were raised by the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, on "Morning Ireland". I hope the Tánaiste will agree it is only right, fair and just that the public should have the fullest possible information on these matters before it is called to cast its vote on 23 May.

Will ability to pay be a central feature of the new regime? In other words, will people be entitled to exemption or part-exemption based on their income? Second, can the Tánaiste confirm the figure given by the Taoiseach of an average charge of €240, notwithstanding the indication by the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, that it does not mean very much in the present context? Is that figure applicable to the first quarter or the first year? Will the overall charge be fixed for a number of years or is it subject to change after the first quarter or the first year? Third, what will be the position of those people whose homes have not been metered by the time the charge kicks in on 1 October, a situation which will apply to some three quarters of prospective water tax payers? Finally, does the Government intend to publish the detailed legislation on this matter before the local elections?

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