Mmm. The trouble with the water metering (water meters were installed, but an effort to have people pay a company was defeated, so far) is that the plan for payment was deeply unfair. But in truth there's nothing wrong with the concept that people should pay for water they use.

In Dublin, for instance, lead poisoning at a low level is very worrying - old lead pipes leading from the mains to houses have never been replaced. And the water system has been allowed to become what is ruefully referred to as a "sprinkler" because money has never been put into mending the mains.

The latest plan is to diver water from the Shannon - good God - to feed Dublin.