Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Bord Gáis is under the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. I will ask that Department to issue a reply to Deputy Cowen's question on the sale of parts of the company. The plan for the future of water and the water services investment programme, which is available to the Oireachtas as a document, sets out the future needs so we can compute a costed programme. There is no question of lack of transparency in that regard.

The PwC report dealt with the issue of weaknesses and inefficiencies in the system, as did the value for money report on the effectiveness of the water services programme nationally. There are numerous pages of detailed information on problems which need to be ironed out. It will not cost anywhere near the €600 or €700 that Deputy Stanley suggests. A value-for-money assessment of the cost of meters and related matters has been conducted and this will be published after they have been purchased. There will be transparency on costs. We believe the plan offers value for money and will create a more efficient and better system with new synergies. In most countries there are reductions of at least 10% to 12% in overall consumption of water. That would have a knock-on effect on the capital investment programme. By becoming more efficient and wasting less - 42% of the water treated and pumped never reaches the tap for human consumption - we can achieve massive synergies. I expect significant cost reductions. Scotland reduced the cost of water services by more than 40% over a five year period. New efficiencies will clearly be achievable.