Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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275. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15359/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Framework for future delivery of Water Services (June 2022), identified following a comprehensive process of engagement with unions under the aegis of the Workplace Relations Commission, now enables the integration of public water services into Uisce Éireann's organisational structure, as envisaged in the Government’s Policy Paper on Water Sector Transformation (February, 2021).

Public ownership is a core principle governing the development of water services and the Government has given its commitment to a referendum on water ownership. It is important to note that the establishment of Uisce Éireann in public ownership is already firmly secured under the Water Services Acts 2007 to 2022 whereby all shares of Uisce Éireann are vested in me, as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, with both Ministers being prevented by law from alienating their shares.

My planned course of action as outlined previously is to bring forward a referendum proposal on water ownership for consideration by Government in conjunction with the anticipated recommendation of a proposed referendum on housing once the Housing Commission has reported to me on that matter. In this way, it is intended that definitive proposals, including timelines, for referenda on water and housing will be considered by Government in due course.