McGrath ejected from Environment Committee Meeting after pressing Minister for answers

28/06/2012 14:10:42

South Tipperary Independent TD Mattie McGrath has been ejected from an Environment Committee Meeting after pressing for answers from the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan TD and has once again slammed the Minister for trying to fool the public and bulldoze through his plans for Septic Tanks inspections without proper consultation.

Minister Hogan attended today’s committee meeting to discuss the implementation of the Water Services Amendment Act 2012 where Deputy McGrath put a number of questions to the Minister and his Officials which the Minister once again failed to answer.
Deputy McGrath accused the Minister and his Officials of deliberately misleading the public following which he was asked to leave the Committee Meeting.
“We are still waiting for standards to be published, the Minister is still refusing to bring the relevant stakeholders such as the EPA and An Taisce before the Committee meeting to discuss the Septic Tank Regulations, the consultation process was a sham and we were misinformed about the registration process” said Deputy McGrath
“People are being lied to, they are being promised the sun, moon and the stars but all we got was a pig in a poc and it’s unbelievable to think that we are still waiting to see the standards and regulations of a Bill that was passed in early February. The Minister bulldozed through this legislation in such a hurry that it appears not even his Department could keep up. His attitude is appalling and I felt that these questions had to be put to the Minister in today’s committee meeting” continued McGrath
“It is unfortunate that the Committee Chairman would not allow me to continue to press the Minister and his Officials because I feel that it is high time that the public get the truth. This whole episode has been farcical and for a Minister to treat the Public and Members of the Oireachtas with such arrogance is disgraceful” concluded McGrath
Ends

28/06/2012 14:10:42