Rebecca Moynihan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is very good to see something of an agreement among both Opposition and Government sides in this House in that water is a public good that should be accessible and State run. I acknowledge that in the very early stages of the setting up of Irish Water, the Green Party was among the first parties to call for a referendum on public ownership of Irish Water. As far back as July 2006, my former colleague, Willie Penrose, published a Bill to amend the Constitution to ensure the public ownership of public utilities such as Irish Water. It is heartening to hear the three parties in the Government say they are committed to that referendum.

Unfortunately, seven years on, we are still no closer to seeing the referendum. We need to move on it in a short timeframe and certainly before the end of this Government. There is consistency and agreement across the House from all sides and parties and, yet, we never know what will come down the line with regard to setting up Uisce Éireann. It is imperative that if we have a referendum on housing or a number of other referendums, a public utility is incorporated.

We are very happy to see that a member of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is mandated to sit on the board of Uisce Éireann because an important part of State ownership and State-run utilities is that workers have a right to and a say in the management of the organisation as well as simply being a worker. Some 3,200 local authority workers are subject to service level agreements with Irish Water, as well as additional staff employed directly under Irish Water and its parent company. We wish to see all of those staff protected under Uisce Éireann and in the transition phase.

We are happy to see there will be no compulsory transfer of staff from local authorities to Irish Water or no compulsory redundancies. My colleague, Deputy Nash, has very much pushed for this. Local authority workers will have the option of transferring to Irish Water on a voluntary basis. Existing pay is protected and there is the chance to earn more through individual or collective bargaining rights. We welcome the legislation but we ask that the Minister of State work with the Opposition and others to try to prepare a referendum in order that Uisce Éireann stays in State ownership. One of people's big concerns about the water companies is their potential to be privatised. At the time of the considerable debate over Irish Water, to the fore in people's minds was that our water system would be privatised, as has happened in other European countries.

It is welcome that we have moved over to a single water utility and eliminated some of the miscommunications and inefficiencies. There is a lot more to be done by Irish Water but a single utility service in this country makes sense. We ask that it be retained in public ownership with a constitutional protection and guarantee.