Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That makes it worse. I divided €540 million by 1.7 million and got a figure of €330 per house. It would have been closer to €500 if my figures had been right. I am not so sure but this figure seems totally excessive.

Was the contract given to one or two concerns? Local contractors in every town and city could have been given jobs. They would honestly laugh at the figure of €540 million. Fifty four of them would get €1 million each to install so many meters. They would regard the figure as very much excessive. It cannot be justified. The cost associated with metering has really gone up in recent years.

Other utility companies have interconnectors between the North and South. Is it the intention of Uisce Éireann to have an interconnector between the North and South or interconnectors between our cities and towns throughout the country, as exist in other utility systems?

What is the anticipated cost of repairing the leaks in the existing system, which is losing 40% of its important commodity? Will the cost be met by consumers?