Seanad defeat over public vote on Irish Water

The Government is to consider Seanad calls for a public vote to protect the public ownership of Irish Water after it suffered an embarrassing defeat in the Upper House.

Labour senators yesterday backed an Opposition motion for citizens to be allowed vote on the need to ensure Irish Water remains in public ownership.

The Fianna Fáil motion was carried a day after Taoiseach Enda Kenny ruled out any vote on the issue.

In an sign of growing disagreement between the Coalition parties on Irish Water, Labour senators sided with Fianna Fáil senators for the first time and in doing so voted against their Fine Gael colleagues.

The Government in the end lost the vote by 37 to 16. The motion read “that Seanad Éireann requests the Government to initiate legislation to provide for a constitutional referendum to enshrine the ownership of Irish Water to the Irish people in perpetuity.”

The call for a change in the Constitution comes a day after Mr Kenny said that there would be no referendum to ban a sell-off of the utility company. Instead, legislation could be strengthened, he said.

Speaking after the Seanad vote, Labour senator John Whelan said people had concerns about paying for “fat cat bonuses” in Irish Water and the possible privatisation of the semi-state company.

To allay fears, a referendum was necessary, he added.

Responding to the Seanad vote, Tánaiste Joan Burton said she had no difficulties with the Seanad move. The Labour leader — as opposed to Mr Kenny — also signalled that she could support the idea of a referendum.

“I think when people raise issues, there’s certainly no difficulty in exploring those issues.”

The call for a vote on the matter was originally made by the Greens last week. Siptu also back the call. Environment Minister Alan Kelly said he would take the Seanad recommendation back to Government.

“I will absolutely bring that to the attention of the Taoiseach and Tánaiste.

“I’m not going to rule out that that’s the road we should go...it’s not something you can digest quickly, but it is something we will consider.”

But he said there was no evidence to support “the propaganda of a privatisation agenda” that was being put out by Opposition parties.