Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My concerns are similar to what has been aired before. The main reasoning behind the appointment of Bord Gáis Éireann as the company under which Irish Water would be formed was supposedly based on its expertise and billing systems. Is this not the same section of Bord Gáis that is to be sold? If this is the case, how long will the so-called expertise remain in the ownership of Irish Water?

I do not wish to delve beyond the section, save to say we opposed the Bill in the Dáil by virtue of the fact that we had no definitive specifications on costs associated with the Bill. The absence of an audit, which had been promised, on the amount of repairs and reinstatement to the national network required is a factor. It needed to be put on the table. The exact costs associated with metering needed to be put on the table. The exact costs of the Dublin water solution needed to be put on the table. Only at that stage could we get an indication of the overall costs and how they could be capitalised over time. That would give an indication of what Government subvention, if any, would be appropriate. Only then could a free allowance be adjudicated on.

In the absence of all of this I find it rather difficult to make specific recommendations on the various sections. Given the good faith with which many of the amendments are put forward, especially in this area, we all share the fear that further down the road this may lead to privatisation. If that were to be the case there may be difficulties for those who do not find themselves in a population cluster deemed to be feasible or profitable. I am conscious of rural group water schemes which will not be the want of any private investor and will be left behind. We fear for them. That is the background to our support for the intentions of those who have moved amendments in this regard.