Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would have no difficulty with holding a referendum on Irish Water. As to Senator Leyden's comments, a 20-year contract was given because there was an investment in infrastructure. To ensure a refund on that investment, it was necessary to have such a contract. There is no reason that this type of system could not continue even if a referendum was held to ensure that Irish Water's infrastructure was not sold. It is not a major problem. This is a democratic state, and if that is what people want, I see no reason not to have it.

I wish to discuss an issue that I have raised numerous times. I have tabled two Adjournment motions but, three years on, the mess is getting worse. I am referring to our court system. We have set up the Court of Appeal, which means that the amount of work passing through it and the Supreme Court will increase dramatically. The taxation of costs, that is, deciding what costs should be paid to the legal practitioners involved in successful cases, has not been addressed. We have a problem, in that there are only two Taxing Masters. This week, only one of those is sitting and adjudicating on costs for the entire court system. It is wrong that this matter has not been resolved. I made the simple proposal two years ago that a third Taxing Master should be appointed, but it was not accepted. I am repeating my call now. The appointment will have to be made. Currently, three judicial review proceedings concerning disputes with one of the Taxing Masters are going through the High Court.