During the summer other Deputies and I were continually contacted by people who were increasingly concerned about Irish Water. There are three elements to their concerns: first, they are angry with being obliged to pay for water; second, they are worried about what they are signing up to and what the financial implications will be; and, third, they are troubled about supplying their personal public service, PPS, numbers to what is, in effect, a private company. They cannot understand the requirement to provide such a personal item of information, particularly when no other utility company requires them to do so. They are angry, which is very understandable. Their anger is based on the fact that the word "personal" is pre-eminent in the title "personal public service number". Irish Water expects people to supply willingly details of their bank accounts and PPS numbers. Essentially, such numbers act almost as a PIN code for all sorts of private information. Irish Water has claimed that it requires people's PPS numbers in order to decide what allowances they should be allocated. However, even a cursory glance at the data protection statements on PPS numbers on the company's website is enough to strike fear into any citizen.

I say the word "citizen" deliberately because Irish Water keeps on referring to us as customers. The website goes into detail about how personal public service numbers will be used, among other things, for marketing and credit checking purposes. What credit checking purposes are we talking about now and, just as important, into the future? The Irish Water website goes on to say that the company can transfer all information to third parties and "By submitting data to Irish Water, the Customer agrees to this transfer, storing or processing".

A question, please.

This is on the website. The company states that if the business is acquired by a third party the data will be transferred to the buyer. People - citizens - are a commodity or asset that can essentially be traded between corporations in future.

Why would anyone willingly sign up to this? Is the Taoiseach comfortable about asking people - it is in legislation - to disclose such private information, potentially worldwide? That is actually what it says on the website. Will the Taoiseach amend the legislation to eliminate this and at least give people the comfort of having their personal information retained as personal information?

Deputy Murphy mentioned three things, including payment for water. Clearly we have not been in a position for many years to provide the investment level into the water system in general to cater for the country's needs.

The Government does not need a PPS number for that.

That is what taxes are for.

It is costing €1.2 billion and 40% is leaking away. We have 18,000 on boiled water notices, inferior pipework and treatment works that are the subject of concern from a European point of view. That is the reason for the setting up of Irish Water as well as to have a utility that can borrow, invest and bring that standard up to where we would expect it to be.

Answer the question.

Obviously, water charges are an alternative to increased income tax. People will have opportunities to save water and to be careful about the use of water. They can limit the amount of water that is used as a consequence.

What about the PPS numbers?

It is fair to say that Irish Water has some teething problems but it is also clear that the regulator has not made definitive statements about the process of charging and the level of charges. Therefore, Irish Water is not in a position to gear up its full communications system with the people to explain the position in respect of first leaks and whether they will be fixed as well as the options and methods of payment that will be open to people and how they can do that.

These are questions that are asked of every public representative, including myself.

In respect of the PPS numbers, clearly there is an allowance for children.

Is the company looking for their numbers as well?

Therefore, it is necessary in the interests of property owners and in order that the allocation to households can be determined. Where children are involved there will be engagement with the Department of Social Protection in respect of information as to the numbers of children in any household where an allowance is given.

Deputy Murphy will also be aware that arrangements are being made for an extra €100, as announced by the Minister for Social Protection, for those who receive the household benefit package. Particular arrangements will be made for people where there are children or adults who have particular medical conditions that might require the use of extensive amounts of water. In such cases they will be capped. All of that, I expect, can be clarified and dealt with in detail once the regulator makes the announcement in the next week to ten days.

I do not think the Taoiseach fully understands the implications of handing over this personal information on almost the entire nation to a private company. Let me quote what Irish Water says on its website:

Irish Water may disclose the Customer's data to third parties in the event that it sells or buys any business or assets...if Irish Water or substantially all of its assets are acquired by a third party, in which case Customer data held by it about its Customer will be one of the transferred assets.

We all know that information is now an asset. I believe there are serious implications. Essentially, Irish Water is clearly defining people's personal information as an asset, its business asset. The Government has not thought this out. What information or guidance did the Government get before it put that into the legislation in respect of the consequences for people if the company is sold? The Taoiseach keeps telling us it is not going to be sold, but why is this on the website if that is not a possibility in future?

It is important to say that until the regulator issues definitive findings Irish Water cannot respond in respect of many of the questions that have been asked by people - these are perfectly legitimate questions that they need answered. I agree with Deputy Murphy in the sense that people would be reluctant to sign up to blank cheques without knowing what they are getting.

That is what it amounts to.

Following the statement to come from the regulator, which will clear this, Irish Water will be in a position to deal with the queries that arise.

It is already on the application form sent out to people.

The company will have to know the numbers of children in houses for the allowances, in respect of which the Government has directed the regulator, to be applied as well as in respect of the allowance of 31,000 litres allocated to each household.

Will the Taoiseach get Irish Water to withdraw the forms?