Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

I was listening to the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, when I was upstairs in my office. It was like watching "Reeling in the Years". It was all the old hits - all the old propaganda about how the Government is committed to public ownership of water. He reeled out the line that we should not worry as there cannot possibly be any privatisation of Irish Water because it is in the Water Services Act 2014. Of course, he did not mention that the legislation can just be amended without a referendum. After the next election, the Government can come in here committed to privatisation, as I believe Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in reality are still committed to it, change that legislation and do away with the requirement for a referendum. We hear all the talk about a commitment to public ownership without mentioning the reality of widespread outsourcing throughout Irish Water - all the design, build and operate contracts that, in effect, amount to privatisation from the ground level up.

Most sickening, we are here because of a request originally from Deputy Joan Collins - I was going to call her another name. For some reason Joan Burton is on my mind. I apologise sincerely.

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