David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I accept that, but the point is that we have been calling for this for months. Had the Minister done this earlier, he might not be in the mess he is in now. Why could he not have done that months ago, when the Cabinet met on the issue of the ownership of water and whether we needed a constitutional referendum? Whether something could be done was obviously discussed. The Government had the advice from the Attorney General and knew this was an issue and that there was demand from the public for it. Why was the option of a mini constitutional convention not agreed at the Cabinet then so that we could have that debate and a recommendation could be made, which the Government could accept or reject?

I welcome the commitment the Minister is now giving to go back and look at that, but my problem is all of the promises made and the number of times previous Ministers have said that if we pass a Bill, they will reconsider the situation. We were told that in regard to the water charges plan. I remember a lengthy debate last year in the Seanad when we said we wanted to know what the water charges plan involved and how it would work and we were told to trust the Commission for Energy Regulation and let it make the decision. However, the Government came along and ripped that plan up and did its own thing anyway.

If the Minister is serious about going back to his Cabinet colleagues and asking them to reflect on this, the logic is that we would not pass this Bill. Why would we pass the Bill and then hope the Minister will get something from his Cabinet colleagues? What the Minister has done is to let the cat out of the bag. What he said up to now is that this was not possible and that he had gone as far as he could. However, he has now said that he will go back and talk to his Cabinet colleagues about the possibility of some forum that could look at this. This indicates to me that the Minister has not gone as far as he could have gone. Clearly he has not; otherwise, why is he giving this commitment now?

I welcome the commitment at one level, but I question why it was not made a lot earlier and wonder whether it is just another attempt to get some of the Independent Senators on board.