Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore declined yesterday to join ministerial colleagues in condemning proposed performance-related bonuses for Irish Water staff.
The bonuses were criticised by Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton and Minister of State for Finance Brian Hayes on Wednesday. Yesterday in the Dáil Mr Gilmore was twice challenged by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin on the issue.
The Tánaiste said pay in the commercial semi-State sector was a matter for the companies themselves. “There is a clear Government decision that reduced the pay of chief executives of commercial semi-State companies and ensured that no bonuses would be paid to them,’’ he added.
Mr Martin had asked Mr Gilmore to explain why the Government agreed to pay bonuses, and that it would be included in Irish Water's regime despite everything heard from Ministers. The Fianna Fáil leader returned to the issue when Mr Gilmore failed to refer to the issue in his reply.
Hypocritical rhetoric
"Will the Tánaiste please answer the question," said Mr Martin. "Why did the Government approve the payment of bonuses and why do we have to listen to all the hypocritical rhetoric from Minister Joan Burton, who said she was going to take it up with the Tánaiste and the rest of the Cabinet?"
Mr Gilmore said Mr Martin, of all people, was in no position to come into the Dáil and talk about spending in any State agencies.
“He commissioned 145 consultancy reports when he was minister for health at a cost of €30 million and spent €220 million on the Ppars project which never saw the light of day.”
Earlier Mr Gilmore said Irish Water was being established to modernise the way water services were delivered. The establishment costs were about 1 per cent of the total cost of water service delivery over the next decade. “The amounts of money are very large – of course they are. That is why it is essential there is value for money that is spent in the establishment of Irish Water, as there would be in the establishment of any company.’’
Meanwhile, the Government defeated a Fianna Fáil Private Members’ motion calling for greater transparency on the part of Irish Water by 71 votes to 51.
Fianna Fáil environment spokesman Barry Cowen said Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan had outlined set-up costs for Irish Water of €10 million in November 2012.
"Either way we now know, as a result of yesterday's PAC meeting, that when Minister Hogan publicly stated that the cost would be €10 million he knew that €180 million had already been committed three months previously.''
Fragmented system
Mr Hogan said the programme for government had made a commitment to establish Irish Water. "Within a relatively short space of time we have moved from a fragmented system of service delivery to a unified delivery structure by a single utility, Irish Water.''
He said providing a world class standard of water service was a critical component of creating more jobs. A greater security of supply would assist in making Ireland more attractive to water-intensive industries.
