Simon Coveney Fine Gael Housing Minister

Between the Minister for Housing, Simon Coveney and the EU Commission, Mr Pádraig Ó’Céidigh, chairman of the Oireachtas Water Committee was a busy man last week and walked a political tightrope, as it were. Below is a recent letter, sent by Minister Coveney to the him on Thursday evening, April 6th, 2017.

The letter was a response by the Fine Gael Government rejecting a draft report of a three month long Oireachtas Committee on Funding Domestic Water. This Committee followed in the heels of an 'Expert Water Commission' set up early last year.

Minister Coveney says in his letter that he is not attempting to "in any way seek to interfere" but urges the chairman to ensure that the "final draft report is, before adoption, subject to rigorous and fully objective legal scrutiny by a European law expert".

It is not every day one sees a Minister being interested in objectivity and rigorous scrutiny, however, when one reads the letter in full and takes everythingthat has happened for the past year, his remarks are only a ruse and in facta contradiction in terms.

This latest interference has prompted members of the Committee to complain to the Chairman. See Irish Times article 'Simon Coveney accused of issuing threats water committee'