Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to make a point briefly because I have already spoken on Second Stage on this topic, and we have been speaking on this for some time. Clearly, the idea of enshrining in law the principle of public ownership of Irish Water is hugely attractive to all of us, and we are all on the same side on this in this House. It is a question of how it is best done. Like others, I had another look at this following our discussion in the House on the constitutional idea. It is attractive until one starts to look at the complexity of the wording and how we would construct a wording that does what we all want without having any other unforeseen implications. We spoke before about the difficulty with a constitutional referendum. The big contrast between that and a plebiscite is that we are inserting a wording into a constitutional text that is there until further amendment. We want to ensure that there is a popular vote before any government can seek to sell off any aspect of Irish Water in the future, and that is what a plebiscite would do. I am convinced that is enough. No government would bring in nuclear power, because the people spoke on that. The clear groundswell of support for public ownership of Irish Water is so overwhelming that no government would contemplate changing or privatising that, and a plebiscite is a way of copperfastening and safeguarding that through a double resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas and a popular vote.