Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank speakers from all sides who participated in this debate. This has been a positive, passionate and engaging discussion on an important issue.

I reiterate the point made by the Minister that we do not doubt the sincerity of Opposition Deputies, including Deputy Joan Collins, in seeking a constitutional amendment to protect public ownership of the public water system. While the Government is not opposing the Bill at this Stage, due to the complexities of the issue and proposed wording of the amendment, I stress again the need for careful consideration of its contents following this debate. The Minister outlined some of the complexities involved in amending the Constitution to recognise public ownership of the public water system. We do not typically enshrine policies on infrastructure and State bodies below the fundamental pillars of the State, namely, the Executive, Judiciary and Oireachtas, in the Constitution. To do so would be novel and we must, therefore, tread carefully in respect of any proposal to hold a referendum.

The legislative provisions currently in place ensure public ownership of the national water system into the future. I am not aware of any political party or Member of either House who does not want public ownership of the water system to be maintained. As I indicated previously, the Government remains open to considering any workable proposals which could further reassure members of the public that our approach to the public ownership of Irish Water and its assets will not be changed.

As I stated, I accept Deputy Joan Collins's sincerity in introducing the Bill. Having listened to Deputy Stephen Donnelly and others both inside and outside the Dáil, however, it appears they do not realise that legislation is in place to prevent any Government from privatising Irish Water. Deputy Collins is aware of this because she has done her homework on this issue but other Deputies do not seen to realise that legislation is already in place.

Deputy Donnelly referred to the United States presidential election and the possibility of a Government being elected which no one had foreseen. If a Government landed out of the sky tonight, it could not privatise Irish Water without consulting citizens in a plebiscite because this is provided for in legislation. While most of the Deputies present are aware of this, I am surprised Deputy Donnelly and many other Deputies are not aware of it because it is clearly stated in law. It is for this reason that the Government has indicated it is not sure whether the Bill is necessary.

Water issues remain contentious and highly political. While I accept the sincerity of the views expressed by Opposition Deputies and understand that public concerns persist about the future ownership of water infrastructure, it should not be lost on the House that the Opposition has invested more effort in a proposal to protect ownership of the public water system than it has on proposals to improve the public water system and water services for citizens.

Deputy Catherine Connolly referred to a waste recycling project in Galway city and made a number of good suggestions in that regard. However, apart from a great deal of discussion and aggro, Deputies have made few proposals on water conservation.

The Government produced an ambitious strategy - perhaps it was over-ambitious in the context of the timescale involved - to establish a single national utility to achieve a national approach to water services delivery and infrastructure provision. We established economic regulation of the utility with the result that Irish Water's expenditure and budgets are being independently scrutinised and efficiencies and improvements achieved. This strategy has produced a funding model designed to end the old approach of providing extra investment in good times and inadequate funding during less favourable times. We need a funding model that provides continuous, increased and sustainable funding of the public water system to put an end to the unacceptably high leakage levels. At present, 47% of all water produced lost in leaks, nearly 40,000 people were subject to boil-water notices last year, 45 urban areas have raw sewage discharged straight into water bodies and some 830,000 people are dependent on some 115 water supplies that are in need of remedial action.

Yet the Government has received little support from across the House in addressing these issues through putting the national utility in place, implementing a regulatory framework that ensures service improvements and efficiencies, introducing a legislative framework that provides for the long-term infrastructural service delivery planning and devising a financial model in which there is direct link between use and funding of a service.

We do hear, however, complaints about Irish Water, along with wild statements about the metering programme and Irish water operations. I have listened to endless condemnation of water charges. The catch-all statement of providing more investment through direct taxation has never been matched with any detail about how this is to be achieved. In the Seanad, I have asked for views on Irish Water’s 25-year strategic plan, its business plan to 2021 or its capital investment programme. I have asked repeatedly for Members in both Houses to read those plans and to give us their thoughts on them. However, I never get them. I heard speeches again tonight from Members who do not realise what the law states about the ownership of the utility. For the months ahead, will Members take time to read some of these plans and examine the results of Irish Water? It is fine if they do not agree with them but we should tease them out. Not reading them does not help debate in this House.

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