Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I join with other Senators in calling for an early debate on the water charge. Like Senator Leyden, I am concerned that the service provider in this regard will be a subsidiary of Bord Gáis, which under the Gas Acts is a commercial entity. One wonders if the people of Ireland will be responsible for delivering profits for that company and if, as correctly pointed out by Senator Leyden, that new profit making entity, as paid for by the people of Ireland, will be expected to increase the marketability of Bord Gáis for sale, if it is to be privatised.