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ENVIRONMENT MINISTER PHIL Hogan has defended his handling of the Irish Water controversy as he today faced calls to resign over the new State utility company’s €86 million spending on consultants, contractors and legal services.
Speaking to reporters this morning, Hogan repeated that he cannot and does not “micromanage” Irish Water and said that it has sufficient oversight from Oireachtas committees and the Commission for Energy Regulation.
“You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs,” he insisted when asked if it is a PR disaster, saying that the establishment of Irish Water will cost €180 million and will save €2 billion over the next eight years.
He said that Irish Water and its chief executive John Tierney’s explanations of the spending to TDs and Senators on the Oireachtas Environment Committee yesterday were “very good ones”.
“You cannot set up a new utility on fresh air,” he said. “And the people that are actually being critical of setting up a new entity will have to examine and tell the Irish people what cuts in expenditure and what increases in taxation that they were prepared to bring in in order to ensure that we have good quality water and good quantities of water in the years ahead.”
He said that while he was not aware of the specific €86 million spend on external services, but said he “certainly knew” about the €180 million cost of setting up Irish Water.
Asked about staff at the new utility being paid bonuses he said this is a matter for Irish Water and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
“[They are] people that actually decide public pay policy so the board of Irish Water were in negotiations and have resolved those issues based on the contracts that were offered to people at the time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams today called on Hogan to resign as minister saying that the government should abandon the “debacle” of water charges.
“He’s been involved in too many debacles,” Adams said.
Fianna Fáil stopped short of saying Hogan should go. The party’s environment spokesperson, Barry Cowen, said the minister is “sleepwalking his way into no confidence territory” saying his omelette and eggs reference was “ridiculous”.
The party is tabling a private members’ motion in the Dáil tonight which calls for Irish Water to be opened up to scrutiny under Freedom of Information, a change the government is willing and likely to implement, though Fianna Fáil says it should happen immediately.
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Heading up to Clare in the first week of June. Hopefully before the tourist influx as the traffic congestion gets out of control during the summer.
People think the Wild Atlantic Way is some new creation, those of us who know are aware that it’s just the same old west coast we’ve always loved.
A video never does justice to a landscape, far too one dimensional.
@Jack Cassady:
You mean the Atlantic ocean was there before the Wild Atlantic Way?
Get out of here!
@Thinck:
I can’t prove it but according to folkloric tradition it was.
Can’t wait to see your beautiful country mid July.
@worldpeace:
You are very welcome. Hope you have as good a time as we had in your country.
Fabulous…but would be really great to see Failte put a bit of effort into extending the route to include South East coast. Waterford and Wexford coastal areas basically eliminated from national tourism promotions now.
@Jacqui Corcoran: the Waterford Greenway cycle path, covering the old rail route from Dungarvan to Waterford City, will bring a huge boost to Co. Waterford this year. Dungarvan has been really busy with people using it for the last few months! It is ideal for families as it is off the roads, so it is safe as well as being really beautiful.
@Pheilum Shannon: True enough, but Waterford is in the Ireland Ancient East tourism region…..
Short and sweet, with the rolling waves they should also include a couple of surfers.
@Chris Kirk: they had a couple of hurlers…apparantly wave hurling is all the rage…..
Was down that way recently. Never stopped p*ssin. Could not see across to Kerry from loop head visibility was so bad. Wind wud blow you away, no wonder there are no trees. Wonder if this type of weather will be in that video?
@Alan Cooke: move to Spain. We’ll wave you off…
@Alan Cooke: Write a letter to the ombudsman
The Conor Pass on a clear day…..
Sigh, can we leave the West alone. They only reason I love it there is the lack of people.
Lets hope the wild atlantic way does not become the wild expensive way ,we had a tourist industry before and we killed it with rip off prices .
It’s based on the Grand Pacific Drive in Australia – just south of Sydney. Similar scenery, but with a rain forest and just over 100 miles long; takes about 2.5 hours nonstop – with the most amazing sea views on that continent.
Let all go.
You can sugar coat it anyway you like Ireland is a terrible place for the elderly and poor.Its high time we look after our own people and stop pretending that we’re a hip all welcoming country who loves everyone. That’s bollix we neglected our own for far too long. You reap what you sew. I will go as far as saying that we’re in for a summer of unrest.
@Blackwalker617: your right it is a beautiful country!
Those 2 lads never held a hurley in their lives.
have your say