Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I understand the Cabinet yesterday gave the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, the go-ahead to bring forward a Bill to provide for a referendum that, if passed, would ensure the continued public ownership of water services. The Taoiseach spoke earlier about cross-party consensus, which he seems to support at this juncture. I remind the Government that the protection of public ownership of water services was a key recommendation of both the expert commission on domestic water services and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services. I believe it is a measure that is supported by a majority of Teachtaí in the Dáil and, more important, the vast majority of citizens. Could we have an indication of when we might see the Bill? Could we also have an indication of when the referendum might be brought to the people?

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