Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a very important debate. I do not have any issue with when it is discussed because this is a democratic Chamber but I would much prefer that it was in the committee rooms or during normal sitting times because the public is very interested in the points being made.

I wish to respond to the point made by Deputy Naughten. He is absolutely right; as Minister of State at the time, that was the commitment I discussed with the Department and that had gone through the apparatus of the Department. I said it because it was agreed and it was in my speech. That has all been changed but that is what happened. Deputy Naughten is correct; people who cannot drink their water should not be charged for it. Part of the building up of a relationship between the Irish people and Irish Water, Uisce Éireann, is fairness and equity and going out of our way to make sure people who do not have a proper supply of water or who do not have a safe, drinkable or potable supply of water do not pay for it. I wholeheartedly agree with that.

When I previously acted in the House as Minister of State I gave a commitment on the Water Services (No. 1) Bill that the Water Services (No. 2) Bill would contain a commitment that Irish Water could never be privatised, and that the company would always and forever be a public company. That was agreed, but when the No. 2 Bill was handed to me as I went into the Seanad on the day of the debate, the provision was excluded from the legislation. That concerned me greatly. The Department was fully aware of my very strong and forceful views at that time. I discussed the issue with the then Minister, Mr. Hogan, and with others. Eventually, the provision was brought in as an amendment to the Bill. I remain deeply concerned at other agendas – they may be European as Deputy Donnelly suggested – but I do not know where they are coming from. It was never articulated to me why we should not and could not have a referendum on Irish Water never going into private ownership. Enshrining the provision in legislation and copper-fastening it in the Constitution would ensure there never would be such a possibility. We have reason to be concerned.

When the Minister comes to discuss the section, which I know will not happen tonight, I ask him to explain why the Government has decided that will not happen. In terms of the acceptability of Irish Water and of the charges and issues concerning it, there would be a vote of between 80% and 90% in favour of a constitutional referendum to ensure Irish Water could never be privatised. I am convinced there are other forces at work. They may not necessarily be political forces. I do not know where they are coming from but they exist, they are active and they have an influence. I accept that people might not like what I say but it must be said. I am aware of other issues which I will bring to the Minister’s attention privately when the debate is over, which might inform him of other areas to which he could look in the Department for confirmation of some of the things to which I refer.

At the end of the day the debate is about people having confidence in Irish Water. We should have a referendum. That is what the people I represent want. It is what people of all political parties want – Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour, Sinn Féin and those who do not subscribe to a political party. Why do we not have it?

See this speech in context