Part 9 of the Broadcasting Act, 2009 makes provision for the administration of the TV licence fee system. Total licence fee receipts are comprised of a contribution from the Department of Social Protection in respect of free licences issued under the Household Benefits Scheme, and receipts from direct sales by An Post, who act as my issuing agent for licence fee collection. An Post makes every effort to reduce evasion and issues a number of reminders to evaders. Prosecution through the courts is a last resort.

In 2022, An Post applied to the courts for 14,915 summonses for failure to pay for a TV Licence and the number of cases heard in court in 2022 was 9,610.

The reason we are doing it is it tied into the housing programme as well.

Forty years.

I am dealing with this Government now because this Government is responsible for what is there and to make sure we can improve upon water quality, in particular. That is a key priority of Government.

Forty years of raw sewage.

There are many factors that go into the pollution of our waterways, etc.-----

Forty years of raw sewage.

-----but the Deputy should be in no doubt that work is under way on a range of the projects that he has listed.

Forty years.

Public ownership is a core principle governing the development of water services and the Government has given its full commitment to holding a referendum on water ownership. It is important to note that the establishment of Uisce Éireann in public ownership is already firmly secured under the Water Services Acts 2007 to 2022.

I have previously committed to bringing forward a referendum proposal on public ownership of water for consideration by Government in conjunction with the anticipated recommendation of a proposed referendum on housing, once the Housing Commission has reported to me on that matter. In this way, it is intended that definitive proposals, including timelines, for referenda on water and housing will be considered by Government in due course.

The Deputy would be the first there when some of these schemes are opened.