Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I think Deputy McDonald is a little ahead of herself. As I understand it, the legal counsel is due before the Oireachtas committee in the next five minutes - it is just up ahead of us – to discuss certain matters with the committee. I do not have a report from the Oireachtas committee. Deputy McDonald had a draft report. The committee members are entitled to have their deliberations. They are fully entitled to have their legal advice. They are fully entitled to make their decision in their own way.

Deputy McDonald speaks of victory, loss and winning. She only sees things in such colours, whereby no one has to pay for anything. Deputy McDonald should believe me that water is a precious resource and someone has to pay for it at the end of the day. Someone has to pay for its treatment and all of that.

As I understand it, the committee at this point has agreed there should be a referendum on water and that it should be retained in public ownership by virtue of a vote on the Constitution. Therefore, the nonsense that Deputy McDonald is going on with about some sinister attempt to privatise Irish Water is only that – nonsense.

I would advise Deputy McDonald, with respect, to allow the Oireachtas committee to do its job. She should listen to the advice of the legal officer who is about to address the committee members in the coming minutes and she should await the findings of the Oireachtas committee.

I hope that a conclusion can be reached because for years and years, people have been able to and have paid for water. In the vast majority of cases, they have been happy to receive high-quality water indeed. Be that as it may, the committee has made substantial progress. I await the final deliberations of the committee members. I hope that we can let them conclude these in the spirit of the responsibility that they were given by the Oireachtas.

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