“Dáil must be recalled following Eurostat decision,” McGrath
Independent TD Mattie McGrath has called for an immediate recall of the Oireachtas should Eurostat, the EU statistics agency, confirm today that Irish Water will have to stay on the exchequer balance sheet. Deputy McGrath was speaking as growing fears are emerging that the controversial quango has failed to pass the European market corporation test, which is vital to ensuring that the debt associated with Irish Water is independent of Government:
“It now looks like everyone, with the exception of the Government, is convinced that Irish Water is incapable of continuing under its current model.
This is a political humiliation for the Government and in particular for the Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly who has clearly failed to convince not only the European agencies but more importantly the Irish people that Irish Water can succeed.
I am calling for an immediate recall of the Oireachtas should confirmation arrive today that the Irish people have now been saddled with anything up to €500 million of extra debt that was supposed to be carried by Irish Water.
How many rejections will it take before this Government get the message that Irish Water must go?” concluded Deputy McGrath.
