Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy can deliberately ask for answers which he knows are not available, or he can listen to what is available to us. We sent a briefing note to the Attorney General's office a number of weeks ago. I understand it was made very clear during the deliberations of the water committee that the holding of a referendum to change the Constitution to reassure people on public ownership of water infrastructure was a policy decision that was supported. Its actual implementation and the detail were thought to be matters for this committee and we were going to use Deputy Joan Collins' Bill as the basis. Now we need to go through a detailed process of scrutiny and receiving advice to make sure we get the legislative proposals right. We are going to go through the various stages. We are only in the first stage. We on the Government side agreed that we would try to be helpful. We have had discussions and briefing sessions with Deputy Joan Collins, as I committed to do. We have also shared our correspondence with the Attorney General's office, which is almost unheard of, in asking the Attorney General to give us advice. That was done in an effort to be helpful, as I said I would be. We have been doing what I agreed to do five or six months ago. However, we do not yet have an outcome to that process and I am afraid people will have to show a little patience. We will have it in the coming weeks.