Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and I welcome the opportunity to discuss Uisce Éireann and the setting up of a large new board. I listened to the last speaker expound about what is bad about it, but I have not heard anything as to how it should be done better. It was agreed by the troika and by the last Government that it would be done. We will take away from the negativity.

Uisce Éireann is the new body and it has been tasked with bringing the 34 local authorities together. This is no mean feat to bring 34 authorities together with the aim of reducing costs, generating economies of scale and most importantly, bringing efficiencies to an inefficient service that is not working. There is a 40% leakage of water at the moment. Irish Water has been in the spotlight over the last week, and rightly so. Media and government attention when new bodies are set up is very welcome. Accountability has been shown by the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Hogan, in answering valuable questions before the finance committee and before the environment committee. Before these committees asked those questions, it was stated in this House by the Minister of State that it would come under the Freedom of Information Act. That information was given here in the Seanad and it did not take any Oireachtas committee to find that out.