Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

In Ireland the Office of the Attorney General is paid to give advice and I am sure it could find a way to come up with a wording that would meet all of the doubts the Labour Party has. I am delighted its members have doubts about the way in which the wording of a constitutional amendment might be brought forward because the example of what happened with the eighth amendment to the Constitution demonstrates how much a job can be made of this. I have never viewed the Constitution as a place in which to deal with certain issues, as it is too cumbersome. However, on the issue of property, property rights and, in particular, the right of the people of Ireland to own their own water, it is not too cumbersome for it and I have not heard an argument to support that view.

My colleague, Senator Thomas Byrne, recently observed that there was nothing to stop the new company from licensing its services. There is nothing to prevent it from bringing in a subcontractor for the production of water. There is nothing to stop it from introducing a subcontractor for the maintenance of the country's water infrastructure.