Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As far as a referendum is concerned, and it is a matter to be considered later, those drafting it had better be aware that Veolia, which has major investments in water in this country, has already privatised part of the water system. In 2010 it was awarded a 20-year contract to design, build and operate Greystones wastewater treatment facility. Its largest municipal contract in Ireland is the Clareville drinking water treatment plant. It has water collection operations in Roscommon. It operates from Kilkenny and has offices in Sligo, Galway and Roscommon. Somebody tell me how we can have a referendum now on contracts already granted for more than 20 years. Would Veolia be excluded from a referendum or would its contracts be torn up in this regard?