Fórsa is encouraging members to write to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien, calling on him to live up to the Government's commitment to stage a referendum on water ownership. Whilst the Minister has indicated the intention to run a water referendum, a date has not yet been secured.

Members across the union’s Local Government and Local Services and Municipal Employees’ Divisions will soon receive a postcard calling on the Minister to honour his commitment by naming the date for a referendum. The union is urging members to sign and return to their shop steward.

Head of Fórsa’s Local Government and Local Services and Municipal Employees’ Divisions Richy Carrothers once again expressed his disappointment at Government’s failure to act and said that a referendum would help protect Irish water services from any future attempt at privatisation by providing a constitutional guarantee of public ownership and urged Government to name the date.

“Privatised water services result in higher costs and poorer services for the public. Public ownership of water services ensures safe and sustainable access to water for everyone. It is critical that we continue to press Government to name the date for this referendum to keep water public. We’re calling on all local authority members to sign this postcard calling on the Minister to live up to his commitment,” he said.

Richy said that “the time has long passed” to end any lingering uncertainty about the future ownership of water services in Ireland.

“A referendum would give people the opportunity to have their say, in addition to providing us all with a unique opportunity to safeguard public ownership of water for future generations. This is the kind of grassroots campaign that unions excel at, and I’m confident that Fórsa members will seize the opportunity to get this message across to the Government parties,” he said.

Fórsa members are encouraged support the campaign by signing this card and circulating it among work colleagues, friends, and family.