Aideen Hayden (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the setting up of a consultative forum in this area. The model could be, very usefully, extended to a number of other areas where there is a significant public interest. I respect the spirit in which Sinn Féin tabled its amendment and its wanting to ensure that certain categories of people are represented on the forum. However, I agree with the comments made by Senator Mooney earlier that unintended consequences may result from setting out, in legislation, the groups to be included in the forum. I shall outline my experience of working in a different area and on a different board. Where representatives were listed in legislation it was then seen to exclude the inclusion of other groups that should have been included. Therefore, I am not in favour of making a prescriptive list in legislation. The amendment states: "including householders, commercial water users and representatives of the trade unions with members in Irish Water". I would have extended the provisions to "including but not limited to" in order to avoid the implication that it was limited to particular groups.

I agree with my colleague, Senator Gilroy, that the legislation as drafted is reasonably clear and broad in permitting a wide group to be represented on the forum. I disagree with Senator Ó Domhnaill because I do not think it is limited to the customers of Irish Water. The forum is established as a customer consultative forum so there is no implication that it is limited to those customers.

A number of Senators have made positive suggestions here today on the type of groups that should be represented on the forum and the number of interests. They may not be immediately obvious. For example, the disability sector and MABS were mentioned and I would like to mention the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and environmental groups should be included.

Will the Minister take on board some of the proposals that have been made here concerning what type of groups could and should be represented in the composition of the forum? I see no reason the composition of the forum could not be put out to a public admissions programme via an advertisement in the newspapers or whatever.

While I am sure some may disagree with me, this Government has gone a long way towards ensuring that members appointed to State boards go through a selection process. A similar process should be put in place for members of the forum. We have indicated to the public that we want groups to be represented on this forum that may not be immediately obvious and that are representative of poorer members of society. Charging for the way water is administered may be of more relevance to others who may be better off.