Keep Water Public: #NameTheDate
by Róisín McKane
 
 Fórsa national secretary Richy Carrothers 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.
Fórsa national secretary Richy Carrothers 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.

Fórsa has once again expressed its disappointment at Government’s failure to act on its promise to stage a referendum on water ownership despite it being in the Programme for Government agreed in July 2020.

 

Whilst the Minister has confirmed the intention to run both the water and right to housing referendum at the same time, a date has not yet been secured.

 

Fórsa national secretary Richy Carrothers 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 the name the date to keep water public,” he said.

 

Last October Fórsa alongside Siptu, Fórsa, Unite, Connect and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) formed the coalition behind the ‘Keep Water Public’ campaign, calling on the Government to confirm a date for a constitutional referendum on the public ownership of water services.

 

Speaking at the campaign launch, ICTU president and Fórsa general secretary, Kevin Callinan, said the campaign to name the date for a referendum represented a shared commitment by trade unions to ensure the future of public ownership of water services.

 

“It’s time now to end any lingering uncertainty about the future 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,” he said.

 

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

 

“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,” said Richy.

 

 

 

 

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