James Heffernan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill has highlighted the elephant in the room with regard to Irish Water. This legislation seems to be set up to make the company more profitable and more interesting to speculators in the open market. I remember at Christmas when the original Bill was introduced we were told that all kinds of safeguards would be included to ensure Irish Water would remain in public ownership. The Government has side-stepped and forgotten to include any kind of clause that would put this issue to the people by way of referendum. This is regrettable, to say the least.

I have difficulties with this legislation, some of which difficulties have been articulated by previous speakers. The idea that Irish Water and water can be considered the same type of utility as a gas or electricity network is a load of rubbish. I can live without gas and electricity but I cannot live without water. It is as simple as that.