Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

This technical amendment removes a possible ambiguity from the text of the Bill. The current wording of section 93(1) provides that the extension to water service authorities of the powers under section 182 and Part XIV of the Planning and Development Act 2000 is only, in effect, for the purpose of acquiring land. While Part XIV of the 2000 Act deals specifically with the acquisition of land, section 182 of the Act does not provide for the acquisition of land per se. Instead, it enables local authorities to run water pipes, sewers and drains across land. In the circumstances, that may lead to interpretation difficulties. The purpose of this amendment, which proposes to delete the words "for that purpose", is to remove the link in section 93(1) between section 182 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the acquisition of land. Section 93(1) will now provide for the basic authority of a water services authority to acquire land. For the avoidance of doubt, the powers of section 182 and Part XIV of the Planning and Development Act 2000 will apply to a water services authority.