Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Will the Leader invite the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to the House to discuss the future plans for Irish Water? I have been contacted by numerous representatives of local authorities and trade unions representing 3,500 workers who fear they will be effectively conscripted into Irish Water. They have contracts and are in effect public servants and have public service status. Many of them wish to remain in the local authorities, which are having difficulties recruiting staff to their water services. People are afraid that if they go into the water services section of a local authority, they will effectively be conscripted into Irish Water. There are serious concerns about this. I will not discuss the negotiations at the Workplace Relations Commission.

The Minister spoke in the House last year on the service level agreements for workers in the water services of the 31 local authorities. It is a challenge and worry. The County and City Managers Association has expressed concerns and the trade unions representing the local authority staff in question are concerned. There is a fear about will happen to Irish Water in the long term. What is the current status of the Government's plan to hold a constitutional referendum on fully guaranteeing that water will remain in public ownership?