Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

He is an Independent Senator. We saw in the lifetime of the previous Government that the Taoiseach's independent nominees to the Seanad voted in all sorts of ways and often did not back the Government. We have also seen that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael do not share the same view on the issue of water. What we are trying to do with the committee is get the input of experts, and they are genuine experts, who will report next week. To respond to Deputy Coppinger, we do not know what they will say. I am happy to wait until they report. Their report will not come to me, it will go directly to the committee which we are establishing to consider it fairly and in detail. We will then have a process for three months or so when the committee will do its work and make recommendations for another democratic decision. The only motivation behind naming the Chairman was to try to get somebody who would not be that controversial. A lot of thought went into who that person might be, so everybody could have the type of relationship with the Chairman that will be needed if the committee is to be constructive and functional.

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