Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It was accepted but the Minister is still not proceeding in such as way as to have an immediate referendum to prevent privatisation once and for all. In light of what we saw in regard to waste management, it is inevitable that the Government will leave the door open to privatisation.

It must be stated much of the work of Irish Water is already privatised. Since Irish Water was established, Siteserv, Sierra and such companies have had huge water metering contracts. It is a private system. It is not a case of using the county or city engineers as Irish Water has already gone down the road privatisation.

The United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic and other countries that embarked on the process the Minister is now embarking on ended up following the privatisation road. By studying those countries, we know there is a desperate feeling therein to try to get back to the public sector and re-nationalise water supplies. Paris is a case in point. The Minister has set us on an inevitable path. If there is a conservative majority in the next Dáil or next couple of Dála, we will end up with an increasingly more expensive privatised water system.

Many issues have been brought to the Minister's attention in his rush down the Irish Water road. There are difficulties with lead pipes in so many houses, for example. Some have said one's PPS number will still be used in the process of this Bill because the conservation grant has to come through the Department of Social Protection. Therefore, there is a set of circumstances that are similar to the morass the Minister inherited.

I appeal to the Minister to take on board the fact that this Bill represents the road to nowhere. It is certainly the road to nowhere for the Labour Party, unfortunately. It is the straw that broke the camel's back. The Minister should listen to this House, withdraw the Bill and consider a structure whereby water services could be provided by city and county councils on a regional basis, as was done well for many decades.

There is no question about what will happen in the upcoming general election. When some of the controversy over Irish Water started, I asked the Taoiseach, Deputy Kenny, whether there would be a referendum on this issue. The upcoming general election will serve as a referendum on this matter. There is no question but that the PR Bill the Minister is presenting us with today, the original Bill and all the pomp and works of Irish Water will be swept away. Unfortunately, some of the Minister's colleagues will be swept away with them.

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