Vol. 495 No. 5
141 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will report on the meetings, if any, he has held with private water companies since taking office; the role, if any, he foresees for these companies in the provision of water to consumers; the plans, if any, he has to privatise water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20770/98]
There are no plans to privatise public water supplies. However, my Department has met representatives of private sector companies to explore in a general way possibilities for the development of public private partnerships in the provision of water services infrastructure and to discuss technological developments in the sector. This in line with the commitment to public private partnership in Partnership 2000 and An Action Programme for the Millennium and with the recent Government decision, as announced by the Minister for Finance on 4 August 1998.
