Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate Senator van Turnhout on bringing representatives of the Health Service Executive before the Joint Committee on Health and Children in response to what occurred in the Áras Attracta facility in Swinford. Would that the Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection could be so proactive, alive, urgent and relevant. I congratulate the Senator on her achievement.

Two or three weeks ago the House passed an amendment relating to Irish Water, specifically on the issue of not privatising the company. I argued that the legislation in place did not protect Irish Water in any respect and was weak, loose, wayward and thin on protection. The Seanad decided that the legislation should be enshrined in the Constitution on behalf of the people of Ireland and, failing that, it should be tightened up in order that it could never be undermined.

The visitors from Detroit, the most articulate people I have met during the water debacle, provided examples from their city. The history of privatisation in Detroit provides an illustration of what we should not do here. Nothing has happened in the meantime. Where is the great tightening-up legislation that can never be changed in the future? I would like the Minister to come to the House with the Bill under his arm. That is the only thing that would satisfy me.

While I believe people should pay for water, Irish Water should not be privatised, and I will not support the Government in any way in the next six or 12 months if the legislation is not enshrined in the Constitution or rendered immovable. I am putting down a serious marker on the issue. I want to see the legislation, which must be written out. We must have something we can hold onto and that cannot be torn up in the middle of the night, as occurred in the case of the previous legislation on the issue.