Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I support the demand for a referendum to keep water in public ownership. Rank and file water workers across the State have been campaigning for this, and I support their campaign. I welcome the fact that the four trade unions with water worker members are now campaigning through the Keep Water Public campaign for a date to be named,. A date must be named before the end of the year. If that is not done, there will be strong opposition from rank and file water workers to being transferred over to Irish Water, to be known as Uisce Éireann, on 1 January. I welcome the fact that Unite the Union has decided to ballot its memberships on the framework document that allows for this. I believe the three other unions should follow its example.

The wording of a referendum must be clear and strong. Water workers must remain strongly organised, even in the event of a successful referendum. We have seen with the ESB how a utility that was formerly in State hands can be de facto privatised through large-scale outsourcing. That is something the workers will need to fight. I want to know where each of the Government parties stand on the referendum issue. Press reports state that the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, will bring a proposal to the Cabinet early in the new year.

I want to hear that from the Minister. The Tánaiste has been quoted as saying he does not see the need for a referendum; I would say he does not. Is this the Fine Gael position? Is there a split in the Government on this issue? The Green Party seems to have been rather quiet on it. Where does it stand on the question of a referendum to keep water in public ownership? I would like to hear from the Green Party on that.

Last but not least, for the benefit of any politician or political party that might be contemplating the idea of water charges down the road - do not even entertain the notion. What was done on the streets of this country between 2014 and 2016 can be done again. If the Government ever decides on water charges mark two, it will be met by the water charges movement mark two, which might even leave the first iteration of that in the ha'penny place.

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