Commenting on the announcement, Brendan O'Brien, SIPTU Sector Organiser, said: "We acknowledge the cross-party support for this motion which was proposed by Deputy Joan Collins TD.
"Our members in local authority water services wish to express our sincere appreciation to Deputy Collins for her work on this issue which has significantly advanced the SIPTU campaign to safeguard the public ownership of water services.
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"Our members intend to continue to engage with politicians from all parties who have been supportive of this initiative to ensure that this referendum becomes a reality in as short a timeframe as possible.
"During the last election campaign, many politicians gave a written commitment to our members that they would demand a referendum to safeguard our water services in public ownership. We commend those who have made good on their promise on this issue."
John King, SIPTU Public Administration and Community Division Organiser, added: "Our members will remain focused on this issue as it passes through the Oireachtas and will seek to ensure it results in a constitutional amendment which will, if passed, provide an irrefutable guarantee within the Constitution that our water services and management will remain fully in public ownership.
"In the meantime, we are reiterating our call for Irish Water to be re-designated as a non-commercial state agency, a move that would further protect our water services in public ownership into the future."
(JP/LM)
