Privatisation ‘a retrograde step’

SETTING up a State water authority, which could in the future be sold to a private company, would mean “the public would be thrown to the wolves” a local representative has claimed.
Independent Councillor Gerry Flynn made the comment at a recent meeting of Clare County Council during a discussion on the Government’s plans to set up a State water authority, Irish Water.
The county’s Oireachtas members were invited to attend the meeting to answer questions about the implications any proposed authority would have for existing council water services department staff, the lack of local contact in a centralised authority, the experience in Northern Ireland, the implications or compensation for the transfer of assets from the council in light of the investment in these over the years and the democratic accountability of any proposed authority. Just Fine Gael senator Martin Conway and Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley were present at the meeting.
“This proposal to put Irish Water in place will do nothing to improve water services in the county,” Councillor Flynn claimed.
“It is privatisation by another name, members of the public will be thrown to the wolves,” he went on.
Assurances were sought by a number of councillors that jobs in Clare County Council’s water services department were safe, with Councillor Flynn claiming if the authority goes ahead that “workers would be thrown on the scrapheap”.
“I believe privatisation of a necessity is a backward step. I believe the privatisation route by the Fine Gael-Labour Government is a retrograde step. I know they are being directed by the IMF and the EU but what about sovereignty?” he asked.
Green Party councillor Brian Meaney said he believed the Government is being forced to privatise “a public utility, by external forces”, while Fine Gael’s Oliver Garry said he believed “essential services should never be privatised”.
Fine Gael Councillor Tony Mulqueen highlighted the importance of local knowledge and recalled the Irish experience in privatising other public services, including Eircom.
Councillor Johnny Flynn said he believed the water authority would be privatised “when it is all tidied off and packaged”. The Fine Gael man suggested councillors hold a workshop and form a response to the Government proposals.
While councillors voiced their objection to the setting up of the authority, they said if it is going to be set up, the local authority should pitch to have Irish Water headquartered in Clare.