Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Other European Union countries have protected their water industry and in Belgium, for example, private companies were used to develop the water services and treatment plants but within a number of years, they were taken back into public control and have been preserved for the people. This is the very least one should expect from the Government. This Bill should protect this vital natural resource and should not set it up for privatisation. It should make sure that the control of this natural resource is protected and vested in the Irish people. As I do not think this Bill will achieve that, I will oppose it.

See this speech in context