Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I will probably test the indulgence of the Leas-Chathaoirleach but in light of the vigour of the Government's commitment to not privatising water supplies, I wish to urge the Minister to persuade those who represent it at bodies such as the IMF, the World Bank, etc., to encourage a move away from the crusade for privatising water services in developing countries. In my view, such a development is as regressive in a poor country as it is in a rich country such as Ireland. I hope there will be a consistency of public policy on that issue.