As negotiations intensify to finalise a new Programme for Government, Irish trade unions are ramping up their calls for action on two critical referendums: one on the ownership of public water services and another enshrining the right to housing in the constitution. 

Government formation talks, which paused over Christmas, resumed on Monday, January 6th. Negotiating teams led by Fianna Fáil’s Jack Chambers and Fine Gael’s Helen McEntee have been focusing on key areas like transport, health, and climate policy. Talks are expected to conclude by January 22nd, when the Dáil will elect the next Taoiseach. 

In a pre-election union wide survey answered by over 20,000 Fórsa members, 60% of members said they supported a commitment to holding a referendum to keep water services in public ownership. 

Concerns have been raised that parties in the talks are moving away from previous promises to hold a referendum on right to water and housing.  Fórsa, a leading part of the ‘Keep Water Public’ campaign, has been pressing for a referendum on public ownership of water since October 2022. Supported by Fórsa, SIPTU, Unite, Connect, and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the campaign emphasises that water must remain a fundamental right, not a commodity. 

“Water is a fundamental right, not a commodity,” said Richy Carrothers, Fórsa’s head of the Local Government and Local Services and Municipal Employees’ Divisions, representing 3,000 water workers. 

“A referendum would honour the will of the Irish people and safeguard water services against privatisation, which has historically led to higher costs, poorer services, and corporate profiteering. In England and Wales, privatisation saw water costs rise 40% in real terms, with over £18 billion paid out to shareholders between 2010 and 2021. Cities like Berlin, Paris, and Scotland are already reversing privatisation to reclaim public ownership. Ireland must do the same - guarantee public ownership in the constitution.” 

 “If the incoming Government does not commit to a water referendum, it will damage a key pillar of the agreement underpinning the ongoing transformation of this utility.”

The unions are equally resolute on the need for a referendum on the right to housing. Ireland faces a housing emergency, with over 15,000 people in emergency accommodation, including 4,658 children and significant numbers on housing waiting lists. According to the 2022 census there are 163,433 vacant homes in Ireland, of which 48,000 have been empty since 2016. 

While the number of vacant homes remains a challenge, the demand for affordable housing continues to grow. Fórsa has long argued that a constitutional right to housing would empower local authorities to tackle the crisis and deliver affordable homes. 

The last Programme for Government also included a commitment to hold a referendum on housing rights. The government’s Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland tasked the Housing Commission with proposing the wording for such a referendum. In September 2022, Fórsa joined numerous civil society organizations in making a submission to the public consultation on a referendum on housing. The union has consistently emphasized that enshrining the right to housing in the constitution would give local authorities the tools they need to build the affordable homes Ireland desperately needs. 

“No one likes being ‘ghosted’ or ‘gaslit,’ and that’s exactly what’s happening,” said Carrothers.  “We didn’t imagine these promises - they’re all on the record. Any new government needs to immediately address this unprecedented housing crisis. 

“Many of our members are working in the frontline in housing and homelessness but also experience the emotional and economic toll of housing exclusion, homelessness, and unsafe, overcrowded living conditions. We’re no longer willing to wait - the incoming government must set dates for these crucial referenda in the Programme for Government.”

Join a union that wins. Join Fórsa.