Water laws could be changed

Legislation protecting Irish Water from being privatised could be over-ruled by a Dáil majority and a referendum on its public ownership overturned, a Department of Environment official said.

However, the department disputes claims that most of Irish Water’s assets could be sold with the consent of the minister of the day, therefore facilitating its privatisation.

The Oireachtas committee on future water services heard from department assistant secretary Maria Graham yesterday as part of its work to advise the Dáil by March on abolishing or keeping charges.