Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I want to talk about the recommendations of the expert commission and of the Oireachtas committee of which a number of us present were members. The first recommendation of the summary of the expert commission said, under the heading of public ownership: "As part of the overall approach to settling the issues addressed in this report the Expert Commission recommends that the adoption of a suitable constitutional provision on public ownership of water services be more fully addressed by the Special Oireachtas Committee, as part of its deliberations". We should respect that. I agree that we need a constitutional provision to ensure that water services are kept in public ownership. The Oireachtas committee also recommended this, and specifically referred to Deputy Joan Collins' Bill. There is an onus to provide for a constitutional referendum. The Oireachtas committee clearly agreed that by majority. There certainly was a respect on all sides of the political divide for the recommendations of the expert commission, and I believe those recommendations should be implemented.

I recognise that the Minister has concerns about the language. He spoke about considering alternatives and spoke about focusing on the entity rather than the system. If this wording is not appropriate and not considered acceptable, there is an onus on Government to come forward with proposals, or at least amendments, that would achieve the result of providing for a referendum, because that is clearly the desire of both the committee and the commission.

I do not support Deputy Barry's theory of a privatisation agenda. I do not believe there was such an agenda. In fact, certain provisions were put into legislation to prevent privatisation. However, I agree that we need to go a step further and have a constitutional referendum. There is a public fear that water services will be privatised, and that has to be addressed, which is why we have to find acceptable language.

I am here to support the proposals of Deputy Collins and her colleagues. In fact, my colleague, Deputy Penrose, also published a Bill, and I believe some other Bills were published as well. His wording was slightly different and provided that electricity and gas transmission and distribution networks, the public water supply and waste water treatment services - which must also be specified - shall be maintained in public ownership. That Bill was published in May 2016.

While I cannot vote, I express the support of the Labour Party for ensuring that agreed wording is found which will ensure that this matter proceeds to a constitutional referendum.