Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail:

Chuir an Teachta O'Dowd ar a laghad trí cheist tábhachtacha faoi na rudaí seo. Chuir sé ceist faoin gcomhlacht Ervia. Is pearsa reachtúil comhlacht ar bith sa tír seo. Is daoine daonna - an chuid eile den daonra timpeall na tíre - ar fad atá anseo. Dá mbeadh bainisteoir stiúrtha chomhlachta i láthair an choiste seo, bheadh sé ag caint ar son an pearsa reachtúil. Is ionann iad i súile an dlí. Má éiríonn leis an togra atá le cur sa reifreann sa mhéad sin, tá Ervia ar aon dul liomsa nó le haon duine eile. Sa mhéad is go bhfuil Ervia ag plé le sócmhainní poiblí, uisce, píobáin agus mar sin de, cathfidh an comhlacht sin glacadh leis go bhfuil seilbh poiblí ar an uisce reatha. Ní fheicim go bhfuil aon fíordheacracht nó go bhfuil aon deacracht ar leith ansin.

D'fhéadfadh socruithe a theacht aníos amach anseo. D'ardaigh an Teachta Cowen an cheist sin freisin. D'fhéadfadh socruithe teacht amach anseo. An cheist a bheadh ann ná cad é an cothromóid idir poiblí agus príobháideach. Tá an obair sin ar siúl i gcónaí sna public private partnerships a luadh. Tá an idirdhealú sin ann. Bíonn an earnáil phoiblí agus an earnáil phríobháideach ag obair le chéile ar na motorbhealaigh, mar shampla, nó ar dhroichid. Tá sampla amháin i mBaile Átha Cliath de dhroichead a tógadh mar sin, an East Link bridge. Ní raibh aon fhadhb ann faoi riamh agus, i ndeireadh an lae, tháinig sé ar ais i seilbh poiblí, cé gur lean, faraor, Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath leis na táillí a ghearradh. Is faoi scáth an Bhunreachta a oibríonn an córas poiblí agus an córas príobháideach sa tír seo. Mar sin, níl aon fhadhb leis sin.

D'ardaigh an Teachta O'Dowd ceist maidir le gá le reachtaíocht. De ghnáth, nuair atá airteagal nua á chur isteach sa mBunreacht, tá reachtaíocht ag freagairt leis. Mar shampla, tagann cuid mhaith den reachtaíocht sa tír seo ón mBruiséil. Pléitear leis mar ionstraim reachtúil go minic. Ní théann sé isteach sa Dáil, ar éigean. Maidir le ceist ar bith mar sin, bheadh reachtaíocht ann dar liomsa ag leanúint an thogra reifrinn seo. Dá mbeadh gearán go raibh an reachtaíocht mí-bhunreachtúil toisc é a bheith ró-chúng nó ró-leathan, sin ceist bhunreachtúil agus téann daoine isteach sa chúirt. Ní tharlaíonn sé sin ró-mhinic. Sa chiall sin, ó tharla go bhfuilimid ag plé le leasú bunreachtúil, táimid ag plé le reachtaíocht ina dhiaidh sin agus, má tá fadhb ar bith, pléifear leis sa chúirt.

Deputy Cowen asked whether we will be mired and have to go to the courts about everything. Critical issues arise at times and the courts decide them. Then there is a precedent that governs any other issues that arise in that particular area. This constitutional amendment, if accepted by the people, is no different from any other constitutional requirement except that it safeguards the public water supply in the public interest. As I understand it, that is its main function and it is set out in the text. The responsibility primarily lies with the Government. The Government, as we know, generates the Bills that come into the Dáil and Seanad. Therefore, the Government is in the best position of all, in the constitutional shadow, to protect the asset once this particular amendment goes into the Constitution, assuming it does. I would have no trouble with that.

Public private partnerships have operated under the Constitution as it stands, with the requirement of the protection of private property. I would not envisage that an extra layer or dimension, if one likes, of protection for public water supply would be any different in terms of its playing out in subsequent legislation or litigation. I can only respond in general terms given that there is no particular example coming along the road. When an issue arises in the courts and there is great uncertainty as to which way the courts will decide it, it is notorious that Article 35 in the Constitution gives that job ultimately to the Supreme Court. We have a new Court of Appeal, but under the Constitution, the Supreme Court is still the deciding body for issues that go to the courts. Often, in fairness to the courts, when an issue is decided in principle in one area, it assists in other areas in terms of clarity. I hope Deputy Cowen can accept that rather vague explanation.

I have nothing further to add.