Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will get to that section later. I am not convinced by the argument made by Government and those who support this section that what Government is proposing with regard to a plebiscite would in any way, shape or form deal with the future ownership of water.

While commentators might say now no Government would do it, I do not agree. Fine Gael, in particular, would be a party about which, should it be in government again, I would be concerned would sell Irish Water because that has been the party's track record. Fine Gael tried to do that already in the term of this Government. Look at Fine Gael's NewERA document that the Minister, Deputy Coveney, put together in 2009 in advance of Fine Gael's election manifesto. Way back then, Fine Gael talked about the creation of a utility. Look at what has happened in Britain with regard to privatisation of water, the problem they have and the cost. Once one gets the people into the net, as Senator Cullinane mentioned, they are treated as customers, not citizens. The people own the water and it is not up to the Government to come up with some half-baked measure like this.

We all are supposed to feel confident in a Government that has utterly failed,-----