David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There are still questions about what the forum will do. We have just spent the past half hour talking about what it will not do. Will the Minister be specific about what exactly the forum will do in terms of its powers and functions? The relevant section states it shall represent the interests of customers of Irish Water, which is fine, but that could literally mean anything. It also states it will provide Irish Water with comments on and suggestions in respect of the performance by Irish Water of its functions. Again, that could mean anything and the forum will only be offering comments. The section states it will provide the commission with comments on and suggestions in respect of the performance by Irish Water of its functions. Again, it is a case of providing more comments and suggestions. It will not make recommendations and or have real teeth. The section states it will comment on any policy document produced by Irish Water when requested to do so in writing by it. Again, Irish Water will produce a document and the forum will just be asked to comment on it and only when requested to do so in writing by it. That is it. The forum will not even have the power to initiate the process. This has been very clear because we talked about legislation being prescriptive. This is being entirely prescriptive when it states the forum will only be able to comment on any policy document if requested to do so by Irish Water.

Whether it is a report by the commission or a report by Irish Water, this forum will not have the power to initiate discussion or even pass comment on any aspect of Irish Water's performance. That would worry me in terms of what the forum is actually going to do.

The Minister might also come back to us in some detail about the appointments process. He has allayed some of the fears and I do not believe his intention is to fill this with hacks, as was said earlier.