When Irish Water was set up, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael promised the people that our water services would not be privatised. However, this is happening by stealth and some of the results are shocking. For more than a year now, large numbers of households in Cork city have had orange and brown discoloured water flowing from their taps. The discolouration comes from rust and sediment that was stripped from old underground piping when Irish Water and the private operators of the new Lee Road waterworks added a new chemical to the water supply. Public representatives were told that the problem would lessen over time. If anything, it has worsened. Meanwhile, the operation and management of the waterworks, which were due to revert to the local authority this summer, seem to now be operated by another for-profit company. Irish Water seems more interested in contracting out water services to private operators than protecting the best interests of the people. When will these shenanigans be sorted out in Cork? Will the Tánaiste tell us why the Government continues to fail to give a date for a referendum to keep water in public ownership?

Water is in public ownership and will remain in public ownership. There is no intention to privatise water supplies. I do not think the Deputy should try to twist the truth in that respect. I will pursue with Irish Water the specific issue the Deputy raised regarding the discolouring of water and the specific water supply challenges he identified.

It has been going on for more than a year.