Government ‘committed’ to Irish Water referendum

THE Government is committed to a constitutional referendum to keep Irish Water in public ownership, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told a Cork TD, adding that selling off the water utility is not on the agenda of any political party.

Mr Varadkar was responding in the Dáil yesterday to a question from Cork North Central TD Mick Barry.

The Socialist Party TD told the Taoiseach that local authority staff across the country had been due to be transferred over to work for Irish Water on January 1 of this year, at the same time the company changed its name to Uisce Éireann.

“It is now February 28, and this has not happened, something worthy of public comment in my opinion,” Mr Barry said.

“Water workers across the country rebelled against the framework document which outlined the path to the transfer.

“The four trade unions that represent water workers have now opposed the document, throwing everything up in the air,” the northside TD said.

“Workers will not transfer over until two conditions are met. Number one, that their pay and conditions up to and including retirement be guaranteed whether they transfer over or choose instead to be redeployed within their local authority; and two, that a date be set for a well-worded referendum to keep water in public ownership.”

Mr Barry asked the Taoiseach when a referendum on keeping Uisce Éireann in public ownership.

“In relation to a referendum on water, we don’t have a date for it yet, it is committed to, but I do want to give the reassurance to everyone that there are no plans whatsoever to sell off or privatise Irish Water, not the policy of any party in this House, and it is prevented by legislation in any case,” said Mr Varadkar.

In late November, the then-taoiseach, Micheál Martin, told the Dáil that the Government intended holding referendums on housing and water.

Mr Martin said this would be considered by the Government in the “near future” and Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien would be in a position to act on these issues “early in the new year”.

Mr Martin had been responding to Independent TD Joan Collins who noted that local authority workers had been guaranteed a referendum on water ownership before their jobs were due to transfer to Irish Water.

Mr Martin replied that “there is no doubt that water will remain in public ownership”.