Paul Bradford (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for moving this amendment, but I cannot support it. He referred in his contribution to public concerns regarding privatisation. In the case of the ongoing difficulties at ESB, the public concern was not whether that company was publicly or privately owned but whether the service would be provided. The outcome of this legislation and of the Government's deliberations must be the provision of a top-class water service, devoid of leaks and other difficulties which prevail throughout the country at present, at a fair and reasonable cost to consumers. That is the objective to which we all aspire.

The suggestion that the service legal agreement should extend beyond what is an already excessive provision of 12 years does what Senator Ó Clochartaigh wishes it would in that it will make the legislation quite irrelevant. We must ensure that taxpayers, who foot all of the State's bills, get value for money and a top-quality product at a reasonable price. The Senator mentioned that there is a Fine Gael view and a Fianna Fáil view on this issue. His own party is in power in another part of this island but I do not see the Northern Ireland version of Sinn Féin doing much to dismantle whatever privatised services are in operation in the North. Every party in government soon discovers the reality-----