Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

Since we are sponsoring a motion at the Human Rights Council to establish the scope and extent of how this right can be enforced, I am not in a position to fully answer the question about what sanction could potentially apply to states or governments that nakedly discriminate against their own citizens by denying them a right to water. Clearly, it would be something that could be pursued through the UN system. I do not wish to sound undefinite but that is all I can say for the moment.

With regard to the Irish Aid programme, I must emphasise that we extend water and sanitation facilities to people, not on a charged basis. We look at the levels of poverty in the areas in which we operate. In certain situations, however, one must charge for water because there is clear international evidence——

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