Vol. 563 No. 4
579 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the proposals from the African Public Sector Water Undertaking as an alternative to the EU proposal on liberalisation of water services in Africa; and his further views on the exemption of water services from the General Agreement on Trade in Services. [7661/03]
I refer to the replies to Question No. 430 on 18 February 2003 and Question No. 408 on 4 March 2003 which, in the context of the World Water Forum this month, addressed the EU proposals for existing developing countries in the provision of safe drinking water through the global water initiative launched by the EU in Johannesburg in September 2002.
Issues associated with water service provision in Africa, in so far as Ireland is concerned, are a matter in the first instance for my colleague, the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the context of the Ireland Aid programme. Issues in relation to the General Agreement on Trade in Services are a matter for the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. However, the EU commitment to supporting developing countries under its water initiative is not affected by its objectives in the context of WTO negotiations on trade in services to such improved market access for its service sector supplies.
