David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is easy for the two parties in government to say what they will do now. However, they cannot legislate for what any future Government might do. What Senator Marie-Louise O’Donnell and Independent and Labour Party Senators wanted when they voted for the motion some time ago was a constitutional referendum on the ownership of Irish Water. We are not getting that, however. It does to matter what the Minister says. All the fighting talk from the Minister means nothing if a future Government just tears this Bill up.

The amendment does not propose a constitutional referendum. Those that did have been ruled out of order. Senator Barrett’s amendment only strengthens the plebiscite aspect of this section.

If the Minister accepts that this legislation can be undone, will he agree it is it not worth the paper on which it is written?