Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Uasal Ó Tuathail go háirithe. Is seanchara liom é. Bhíomar ag troid le chéile ar an taobh céanna san Ard-Chúirt blianta ó shin. Fáiltím roimh an prionsabal atá anseo. Ní raibh aon dabht agam riamh gurb é seo an treo ceart, ach cad a thiteann amach i dtíortha eile? An bhfuil aon bhunreacht eile a bhfuil cuid mar seo ann? What is the precedent in other countries? How did they deal with this issue? I fully support the principle of public ownership and always have supported it. I never varied in that regard. I am just wondering what this was benchmarked against.

Tá ceist eile agam. Má éiríonn leis an reifreann, dúirt an tUasal Ó Tuathail go mbeidh an dualgas ar an Dáil na rudaí a bhaineann le toradh an reifrinn a chur i ndlithe nua. Rud bunúsach ná an ról a bheidh ag Uisce Éireann nó an comhlacht a bheadh i gceannas ar an uisce poiblí. Cén difríocht a dhéanfadh an reifreann don chomhlacht sin, go háirithe, agus don cheist idir Uisce Éireann agus Ervia? For clarity, if this referendum is passed, what implications, if any, will it have for the company called Irish Water, specifically and particularly in terms of its relationship with the company called Ervia, which is the holding company for Irish Water? One of the problems I have always had, which relates to the intention behind setting up Irish Water, was that it would be a stand-alone entity and would not and could not be subject to the influence of Bord Gáis, as it was initially, or Ervia, as it became. I lost that argument in the debate with my political colleagues but it is one that concerns me. Is there any implication for Ervia or the separation of Irish Water? Would it better for Irish Water to be totally separate from its holding company in terms of the responsibility and accountability it will have under the Constitution? While Ervia is a semi-State company, it is a commercial company. I have concerns in that regard. Má tá aon fhreagra ar an gcuid sin de, bheinn sásta.