Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will finish on this point. I have sat through the debate and taken a keen interest in it. Perhaps I was not around when the Commission for Energy Regulation report was discussed on Committee Stage. However, it seems we have been led up the hill and back down again by some Members of the Opposition given that in other jurisdictions, especially one where a particular political party essentially runs the water system, they have in place a system that is almost exactly like Irish Water. That is hypocrisy and makes a mockery of the feelings of the people, including those who came out onto the streets, especially seeing as we will be doing the same thing that is done north of the Border. It is exactly the same as what is done throughout most of Europe. It is similar to the United Kingdom except that in the UK the company is privatised. Our company is not privatised, Northern Irish Water is not privatised and most similar companies in Europe are not privatised.

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