The Right2Water campaign has demanded that Minister Darragh O'Brien publish the Government's proposed wording for a referendum on keeping water in public ownership and set a date for the ballot.
Right to Change TD Joan Collins, who introduced a bill on a referendum six years ago, accused the minister of "kicking the can down the road" despite a "massive campaign" demanding the Constitution is changed.
She said it appears from comments made by the Taoiseach in the Dáil that the Government intends to only include the Irish Water entity in its wording - whereas her bill contains, crucially, the wider infrastructure and management systems.
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett claimed Irish Water had been created as a vehicle to privatise the public water supply.
He suggested business views it as "blue gold" - a commodity to profit from - and the Government is attempting to privatise by "the back door".
The #Right2Water campaign - which seeks a referendum to keep water in public ownership - calls on Minister @DarraghOBrienTD to publish the Govt's wording of a referendum. @JoanCollinsTD says he is "kicking the can down the road." @rtenews pic.twitter.com/MWFffYoPzg
— Paul Cunningham (@RTENewsPaulC) March 2, 2023
Independent Donegal TD Thomas Pringle said it was clear that the Government will have to be "dragged kicking and screaming" to deliver a referendum.
Sinn Féin's Thomas Gould said he is "fierce sceptical" about any wording that the Government will advance.
He said it is the "will of the people" that a referendum is held and that it should be done in 2023.
Unite senior official Brendan Ogle said that protestors, in "historic numbers", had forced Fianna Fáil to include a referendum on water in its policies.
However, he claimed the party has "done nothing" and suggested there has been a "manipulation" of mass public support for this referendum - including the recomendations from an independent commission.
