Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Coming from my philosophical beliefs, it is obviously something that has to be 100% accurate and dealt with. Working within all of the advice we can get in Government, I believe that the threshold created absolutely protects Irish Water. I also need to say to Senators that before they put a provision into the Constitution they would need to be absolutely certain it could achieve what it sets out to achieve and dealt with all the issues that I have just said need to be dealt with. Given my role, given my philosophical beliefs, given the fact that I represent the Government, given the fact that I honestly take this matter seriously to the nth degree, given the fact that I have brought what the Senators decided some time ago to the Government, I can tell Senators, absolutely hand on heart and in all conscience, that I have gone as far as is possible in terms of this issue. I hope Members appreciate that and I have said that in the right spirit. I genuinely acknowledge the fact that the amendments, ideas, concepts and proposals put forward by Senators - and I have read the ones that where ruled of out order as well and I would have had no issue dealing with them either - but all were put forward in the right spirit. Through the process that we have undergone, I believe what we have in front of us is as far as we can go and ask Senators to support the legislation. Therefore, I will not accept Senator Barrett's amendment.