David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State's interjection is extremely helpful to me, and I am very grateful to him for his usual courtesy.

A public utility is being created. I like public utilities and I believe they should stay public utilities. I would like it if the Minister of State could give an undertaking that, certainly as far as this Government is concerned, this is not the first stage of a privatisation. I really do not want to see privatisation, which I do not believe works in England. When the corporation here privatised the bins, it made an ungodly mess of it. It is still a mess and is still financially corrupt. I do not believe we should go down that avenue.

It is interesting that the gentleman in charge of Irish Water was the former Dublin city manager, which may give him certain insights into the situation. Given everybody is so interested in money these days, could we have a notion of his salary, which I presume is on the public record?