Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, wearing his hat in the other Department, is more competent in this area than I am. The fact remains that, as Deputy Niall Collins stated, this is no more than rumour and speculation. The Government has made no decision other than that there will be no privatisation of water, there will be a State water company whose name is not yet decided, and Bord Gáis is charged with bringing proposals to us in this respect. It is entirely putting the cart before the horse to speculate beyond that. Bord Gáis has a blank page and knows what has to be done. It made a very considered pitch for the task, as did Bord na Móna, and, as a result, the company has a great deal of skills and knowledge to bring to the job. When it comes back with its proposals, either the Minister of State, Deputy Fergus O'Dowd, or the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, will bring a plan to Government. It is pure speculation and rumour in the interim as to what may or may not happen or whether the system will be ready in 2014 or whatever.

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