Seanad debates

Wednesday, 13 January 2016

2:30 pm

Photo of Marie Louise O'DonnellMarie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

If I were Senator Landy I would have been asking that question. I would have been asking what we should do to restore the peoples' faith in us and how we could communicate that because the party's communications network seems to be very wishy washy at present.

I would point to three major elements in the Water Services Act that are very interesting and must be revisited. The first is the plebiscite on the ownership of Irish Water. This section provides that in the future where a Government proposes to initiate legislation which amends the ownership structure of Irish Water, such a proposal cannot be initiated without a resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas approving the changes and, subject to such resolutions being passed, the proposal will be submitted to a plebiscite of all people eligible to vote in a referendum on a proposal to amend the Constitution. That means that 80% of the Upper and Lower Houses would have to agree. Unless we are going to have a takeover from North Korea, that is not going to happen. Therefore, the idea of Irish Water not being in the ownership of the Irish people is not true. I would also point out that Fianna Fáil voted against that provision when the Bill was being debated. It voted against the Irish peoples' ownership of Irish Water. That is the first thing it voted against.

The second matter is that of the public forum. The Government proposed a public forum which has since been established. The purpose of the forum, to be established by the Commissioner for Energy Regulation, was to represent the interests of customers of Irish Water and the Irish people. It was proposed that the forum would have between 12 and 16 members and would review and comment on the strategies and plans of Irish Water, including those concerning investment, water charges and so forth. What did Fianna Fáil do? It voted against that proposal. It voted against allowing people to be a watchdog.

The public forum now exists and functions as a watchdog for Irish Water. What did Fianna Fáil and others on that side of the House do? They voted against it and shot themselves in the second foot. They voted against the watchdog, but the best is yet to come. Members of this and the Lower House know that water to households can never be turned off. It will not and must never be turned off, despite lack of payment and regardless of what customers owe. That is part of the Water Services Act. Guess what Fianna Fáil did in that context? It voted against that provision too. That is marvellous.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.