The minister who set up Irish Water says he's worried there are "forces" who want it privatised.

Fergus O'Dowd says there is a real risk that Irish Water could fall into private hands because of the government's handling.

The former minister - who was demoted in July - said the agenda to privatise the company may not be coming from politicians.

He was speaking in the Dáil in the early hours of the morning, as TDs sat until after 1am to debate amendments to the Water Services Bill.

Deputy O'Dowd said he had originally promised to include an anti-privatisation clause in the laws which gave Irish Water ownership of the water network.

He says this had been agreed by the government - but when the bill was ultimately published, that safeguard was nowhere to be found.

The Water Services Bill currently before the Dáil would require the government to hold a public 'plebiscite' before Irish Water could be privatised.

However ministers have previously conceded that any government who wanted to sell Irish Water could simply remove this legal requirement using its majority in the Oireachtas.

Minister O'Dowd says the refusal of the government to allow a referendum on the permanent safeguarding of Irish Water shows there is good reason to be nervous of it falling into private hands: