Dáil Question on Irish Water rates for commercial tenants

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will clarify the comments made by the Dublin City Council assistant manager in relation to the possibility of Dublin businesses having to pay increased water rates once control is with Irish Water; the processes that are in place to ensure that local authorities can sufficiently develop a programme of delivery of water services under the responsibility of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Reply from Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan T.D.

The Water Sector Reform Implementation Strategy , which is published on my Department’s website, is focused on ensuring that appropriate policy and legal frameworks are put in place for Irish Water and the water sector. A key objective is to rationalise the cost of the current service delivery and ensure more efficient operation of water services by moving from 34 water services authorities to a single body; following enactment of comprehensive legislation later this year, Irish Water will, therefore, become the water services authority from 1 January 2014.

Irish Water will be working in partnership with local authorities to achieve its aims. Work is on-going on developing the framework for the service level agreements which will govern the delivery of water services by local authorities on behalf of Irish Water from 1 January 2014.

It will be a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation in due course to satisfy itself in relation to the appropriateness of costs incurred in the operation of Irish Water as part of the process of setting the tariffs for both the domestic and non-domestic sector in the future. It is envisaged that the Commission will engage in public consultation as part of this process.

Insofar as future capital investment is concerned, it is envisaged that in developing investment plans for public water services, Irish Water will take account of the requirements flowing from the programmes of measures in River Basin Management Plans, and the need to support economic and regional development. The relationship between Irish Water and local authorities in the water services investment planning process and in relation to local economic development will be addressed under the Implementation Strategy. These are matters which will be developed as part of the comprehensive legislation planned for later this year and will be covered in related guidelines where required.