FG attempts to blame Government for water services hypocritical – Fleming

The Chair of the Oireachtas Environment Committee, Laois TD Sean Fleming has criticised Fine Gael for their attempts to criticise the Government for water services when Fine Gael controls the overwhelming majority of city and county councils, who hold this responsibility.

“Ireland has 29 county councils and five city councils and Fine Gael are in control of 28 of these.”

“This month Fine Gael’s Environment Spokesperson Phil Hogan called for a single water authority to be set up to take responsibility for water supply and water investment out of the hands of the 34 city and county councils.”

“Deputy Hogan said that the system in which the local authorities were responsible for water and working in isolation from each other was ‘crazy’.”

“However, a month earlier, on his website Deputy Hogan said that he wanted power to be taken back from quangos and given to local government instead.”

“This makes no sense and is a complete reversal of Fine Gael policy. Fine Gael cannot have it both ways. Either they believe that local government should take the responsibility for water or it should be run by one central authority.”

“The provision of a high quality and reliable source of water is far too important to be playing politics with. Fine Gael need to sort out their policy and be honest with people about their plans,” concluded Deputy Fleming.