Simon Coveney: I’m not delaying public water referendum

Housing Minister Simon Coveney has denied that he is delaying a proposed referendum on the public ownership of the water system.

Last November, Independets4Change TD, Joan Collins, brought forward a bill, calling for a referendum to be held to place the public ownership of water into the Constitution.

Speaking to an Oireachtas Housing Committee that is examining the bill, Mr Coveney, who has responsibility for planning and local government, said he is awaiting legal clarity from the attorney general about the planned referendum. He said that changing the Constitution was “a big deal” and that there could be no room for making a mistake.

“We will continue to take advice from the AG. Changing the Constitution is a big deal and, if you get it wrong, it is a big deal to correct it. It’s not like legislation, as you have got to have another referendum,” he said.

Mr Coveney did not offer specifics, but said there may be issues of concern in the bill, and the wording may need to be changed

“In my view, there are issues here that I need to get legal clarity on. Until I have that, I cannot give you a definitive position as to whether it is problematic or not. But I suspect that there are issues here, that we need to be reassured on. If we can’t get that reassurance, then we need to change the wording, so we are covered for the areas of concern,” he said.

However, a number of TDs took issue with the minister’s presentation and accused him of attempting to delay the referendum.

Ms Collins said that while there was no plan to privatise the water system now, that may not be the case in the future, which is why the need to reflect public ownership in the Constitution was so important.

Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin said Mr Coveney’s comments were “disappointing” and said it had now been six months since the bill was introduced.

“I’m really frustrated. It’s not like this issue has landed on your desk just last week. This passed through the second stage six months ago...My worry is you don’t want this piece of legislation and you are just trying to delay it,” he said.

Mr Ó Broin said the committee was now hearing the same presentation that it got from the minister six months ago and was having the same “circular conversation”.

However, Mr Coveney said he could not provide the committee with information he did not have and said the Government needed to be extremely cautious with any plans to change the wording of the Constitution.

“If we get it wrong, we kick off a whole new series of problems in relation to water, which I don’t think anyone wants,” Minister Coveney said.