I wish to ask the Tánaiste about promised water services legislation. We have a significant number of assets which must be transferred from local authorities to Uisce Éireann. They include water treatment plants, networks and sewage treatment plants. Will these require votes in each council chamber under section 183 of the existing local authority legislation or will the Bill the Government is bringing forward supersede all of this? There are hundreds of public private partnerships, PPPs, which are mainly design, build and operate, DBO, projects. Will Uisce Éireann take over all of them with their associated liabilities and debts? When will we see the Bill and what are its main provisions because we are in the dark? We have tried to get this information out of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government but we are in the dark on this issue. Even the Brighter Evenings Bill might shed some light on it. I hope the Tánaiste can shine some light on it this morning. What will happen to the DBOs and the transfer of assets from local authorities to Uisce Éireann?

I understand that the Minister and his Department have reached agreement with the trade unions representing staff in the local authorities on the transfer of water services under the new arrangements. We are proceeding with the drafting of that Bill to give effect to that. The preparation of the heads of the Bill was recently approved by the Government so work is under way on that legislation.