A REFERENDUM ON the public ownership of Irish Water is more likely after Fianna Fáil announced today it would back the bill calling for a referendum.

The bill, which is tabled by Independent TD Joan Collins, is due to come before the Dáil for a vote on Thursday, and would ask the public whether measures should be put in place to ensure that the state utility Irish Water stays in the ownership of the state.

One of the main criticisms of the controversial new state utility Irish Water is that it could be sold off to private companies, and prices (which have already been capped by Government after huge public protests) could skyrocket.

Commenting on Fianna Fáil’s position on the bill, a party spokesperson said:

“At this morning’s front bench meeting, Fianna Fáil agreed to support progressing the 35th Amendment of the Constitution (Irish Water to be retained in public ownership) Bill to the Pre Legislative Scrutiny stage.

Fianna Fáil strongly supports public ownership of the water and wastewater infrastructure and insisted on its inclusion in the Confidence and Supply Agreement with Fine Gael.

So far, 50 other TDs (Independents4Change, Sinn Féin, AAA/PBP, the Labour Party, the Green Party, the Social Democrats and Independents) have pledged to back the bill.

If you include Fianna Fáil’s support, the number grows to 94.

Joan Collins in a statement today said that “after years of uncertainty, the people of Ireland are entitled to an opportunity to guarantee public ownership and management of our water at the earliest juncture”.

According to Collins, the 35th Amendment to the Constitution (Water in Public Ownership Bill 2016) reads:

“The Government shall be collectively responsible for the protection, management and maintenance of the public water system. The Government shall ensure in the public interest that this resource remains in public ownership and management.”

Government position

At Cabinet today, Minister Simon Coveney was authorised to engage with opposition parties in relation to the water ownership bill which is calling for a referendum on the issue.

However, a definitive decision on whether the Government will support or oppose the bill has not yet been finalised.

Junior minister and Independent Alliance TD John Halligan, who is currently on a visit to Palestine and Israel, has said that had he been in Ireland, he would have voted with the government on the issue.

The government’s current position is that there is a clear process in place and that the issue of water ownership is dealt with in the confidence and supply agreement with Fianna Fáil, which mentions a plebiscite could be held on the issue.

A government source questioned the rationale behind Fianna Fáil support of bill, stating that if they wanted a referendum, it could have been raised during the government formation talks, in which all aspects of Irish Water and water charges was discussed.

It’s understood that while some government sources state that FF’s position does not tally with the confidence and supply agreement, it’s support of this bill does not breach the agreement.

If the bill passes, it will then enter pre-legislative scrutiny, and would in effect pave the way for a referendum on the issue of water services ownership.

Although Fianna Fáil will back the bill, they have some qualms over certain elements of the Bill:

“There are a number of issues with the Bill [that Fianna Fáil would like changed] including the question of private wells and Group Water Schemes. We look forward to proper scrutiny and debate of all of these during Pre-Legislative Scrutiny.”

With reporting from Christina Finn.

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