Sir, – While the creation of Irish Water has not been welcomed by the Irish populace, it must be acknowledged as a massive public undertaking, on a par with the creation of the ESB in 1927. Irish Water involves the amalgamation of an essential function currently carried out on a separate basis by local authorities across Ireland and may, if operated properly, lead to a safe, coherent and efficient national policy approach to the provision of water to the Irish people.
The initial days of Irish Water will be crucial to its development; its starting form and structure will dictate whether it is a relative success like the ESB, or a bloated failure like the HSE. The policies, procedures and practices introduced at its foundation will determine the pattern of behaviour for decades to come; it is at this time that the mould will be set for this organisation’s approach to the management of hundreds of millions of euro in public money and the overall provision of services.
It says much about the difficult birth of Irish Water that a person might favour a position ferrying a Minister for State from engagement to engagement over a directorship on its highest board. However, the resignation of Hilary Quinlan cannot be the end of the national discussion surrounding its composition.
It is essential that each member of the new organisation’s management be in a position to set down unimpeachable procedures and practices that will be followed throughout its existence. There can can be no room for purely political appointments; a nascent institution can not bear the weight of deadwood to the same degree as an established one. Each member should be an expert chosen for their skills and merits.
If our nation is to engage in this difficult undertaking, then we must do it well. – Yours,etc,
STEPHEN FITZPATRICK,
Foxrock,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – Angela McNamara (October 1st) says her generation was toughened by rations during "the Emergency", and recommends good humour with regard to the rationing of water in the 21st century.
Rations do not necessarily toughen people, as they can be equitable or inequitable in their effects. Wartime rations in Britain, for example, actually improved the diet of many working-class households.
By contrast, rationing of water on the basis of wealth in today’s Ireland simply impoverishes working-class households whilst wealthy households can power-shower to their heart’s content. As a consequence, the people doing the laughing this time around will be the ones shouting “tough!” – Yours, etc,
RICHARD McALEAVEY,
Balbriggan,
Co Dublin.