Mattie McGrath: Calls water legislation 'bonkers', defends farmers
Mattie McGrath criticised proposed water legislation and defended farmers, arguing that only farmers, publicans and business people currently pay for piped water. He described the bill as "bonkers", accused regulators of double standards and warned the measures would victimise rural communities.
Main argument
McGrath said small farmers and businesses are effectively the only people paying for water in the country and rejected what he called "crocodile tears" on behalf of others. He cited an example of a farmer who must get council permission to use a 2,000-gallon tank to irrigate potatoes and said the rules are unduly restrictive for rural needs.
Regulatory criticism
He criticised the Environmental Protection Agency's approach, saying inspectors will take river samples at bridges like Corstown Ewer but will not sample 300 metres below the outfall pipe from an ageing village sewer. He contrasted perceived heavy-handed enforcement against farmers for minor spills with what he portrayed as inaction on longstanding sewage discharges.
Rural infrastructure concerns
McGrath highlighted villages and areas he named - including Banchon and Atterlo and parts of South Tipperary - that he said lack upgraded sewer systems and discharge raw sewage into rivers. He warned that the legislation would further penalise farmers who he says are already shouldering water costs while rural infrastructure problems persist.
Political warning
Using horticultural metaphors, McGrath suggested the "seeds of the new government" were being sown by political manoeuvring and accused Deputy O'Brien and allies of shaping support for the bill. He cautioned against watering down issues and argued the proposed measures risk victimising rural communities rather than addressing wider water and sewerage failings.
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The crocodile tears here for small farmers and all the people. Can I remind the house again that the only people paying now for water in their taps are the farmers and publicans and business people. So I doubt there are very many people here paying for water. So it's easy if crocodile tears. Why then, if it's only towns like the size of Nina, if a farmer is extracting water to irrigate his potatoes, the crop to save him, at present, maybe with a 2,000 gallon tank, he has to get permission from the council. So there is a big bullet watching. And it's not legislation, everything legislation emanating from Europe isn't bad, according to Deputy O'Brien. And I'm not saying everything is bad, but yet we have defined some of the European court challenges where we're being hauled through the courts. So I can see already here tonight the seeds of the new government being sown with Deputy O'Brien, moulding his way across the floor here and irrigating the roots with water, whether it be from Irish water or from a mountain stream or from any place else. The seeds have been sown. All you need now is to nurture them and give a bit of 10, 10, 20 and maybe a bit of other fertiliser place that's certainly environmentally friendly. We can't use dung anyway, because that might give an order that might upset the Green Party. My Leonard friend of the above told me he greeted me today at the worst time ever. I know that and very useful. But by God, the only people paying for water in this country today are farmers and business people. And don't have to be lost on anyone here. And it costs what it costs to produce water, but the crocodile tears people that are here for people. And this legislation going through, with the support of the new government partners, and we'll hear Romney's from the Tisha going to now tarnish to, said to have musical chairs next Saturday. And none of them, they'll all do business together. So it's here. But don't give it too much water, because you could rub away the clay from the roots. You might not understand horticulture that much. Maybe you do. Maybe you do. I'm not being disparaging or anything. You don't know. But a little water, like in your whiskies, your batter, and it's very important, but too much water down makes it very weak and very feeble. So look, this legislation is, again, it's bonkers, because it's, as I said, and Deputy O'Brien mentioned the EPA to control it. They have enough staff. The EPA stand on the bridge in Corstown Ewer, a bridge that wasn't mined and ready to be blown up into troubles. It didn't happen, thankfully. It didn't have to be. To keep out, you know who, out of our rebel country in South Dipperary, in the hills and knock milled downs. And it wasn't ever ignited the mine, thank God. And no one was hurt around this. But now we have the EPA standing on it, parking beside it, going down the steps, and taking a sample out of the river. And they won't go down to 300 metres below the outfall pipe from a belching dirty, filthy sewer from the whole population in the village that hasn't been upgraded in 40, 50 years. It won't be. And they had a proper sample. But if the farmer has a spill in his silage yard or an accidental barrel, or if he had a bit of dung, I can't call it, they might have top of his Wellington, they might fall in, and somebody rings up, so some of the Green Party members are passing by around Tashka, God forbid, they'll be all hell break loose. The army would be nearly called in to put a carton around the place and bring him off in handcuffs. So we've gone ridiculously mad and anti-rural. And in the crocodile tears, and whenever you've been, you're half a Tipperary man, you should know. And by your father wrote Goody, Costal-Nawar, Tipper-Dawna. And I bring you to many of the places, in Banchon, Atterlo, and every place else who don't have any sewer systems, and belching raw sewers, untreated into the rivers. So spare me all this legislation, and victimise the farmer who's paying for water, and the business people are paying for water all the time, but they're getting very tired of it. Thank you, Deputy McGrath. It pains me to interrupt you when you're in such full flight.
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